The Choices
by beyondwonder
Summary: The Choices we make are the deals we break
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Choices We Make (are the deals we break)

**Author:** beyondwonder

**Rating:** K

**Spoilers:** Season 2 (references to most of the episodes in season two especially 'AHBL 1&2')

**Pairings:** Dean/Jo

**Notes:** A huge, *huge* THANK YOU to Hannah, Sharla and Elizabeth for their amazing help and guidance. You three are truly amazing and giving people. And a big hug to Ness for allowing me to annoy her at 1am bouncing ideas off her.

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'**Sightseer'**

Soft rock music filled the interior of the dark blue pick up truck as it sat parked on the side of the street. It was late in the evening and the normally bustling street was deserted. In the distance a dog barked furiously at the storm galloping towards the small town in Ohio.

The owner of the truck, a lean blonde woman, stood at the phone booth beside the truck punching in numbers from a piece of scrap paper. The song playing on the radio faltered and skipped a couple of beats before resuming the song. Jo Harvelle looked over at the truck suspiciously. Shrugging, she returned to the phone and re-entered the numbers. Her cell phone sat abandoned with its depleted battery on the dashboard.

Jo squinted in the dark phone booth, holding the paper up in the light to see the last three numbers better. She pushed the last digit into the phone panel when she noticed the streetlight above her was flickering.

The distant grumbling of thunder convinced Jo to hang up the phone, and she turned to study her surroundings. Her right hand skimmed down her back for the knife she had tucked securely in her waistband. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted another streetlight flickering pathetically before dousing the opposite side of the street in darkness. Jo swallowed nervously.

The radio inside the car spluttered and static joined in with the chorus of raindrops plummeting against the ground. Jo raised an eyebrow as she slipped out of the phone booth. A cold wind slithered across the back of her neck, electing goose bumps to flare across her skin and she looked up at the sky for an indication that all she was witnessing was a normal storm.

The vibrations from another grumbling of thunder rattled the windows in her truck, and as she tilted her head back further she spotted an unusual black mist peeling away from the storm clouds. A look of dread crossed her features and she discarded the piece of paper and hurried to the truck. Sliding inside, she locked the doors and began searching through her bag on the floor. When she came up empty handed she stared out the truck windows nervously.

Rain pelted against the windows making it hard for her to see anything clearly, but as far as she could see the street was still empty. She reached for the keys to start the truck when something heavy thumped against the roof of the truck. Jo gazed up at the roof and bit her lip with concern. Another thump. Jo sat trembling as the thumps increased. A clap of thunder drowned out the sound of the roof bowing under the force of the blows.

Jo chanced a glance outside, trying to determine the source of the thumps. Through the dirty windows all she spied was rain persisting against the truck, growing harder with each second. A crack to the windscreen identified the culprit as hailstones thrashing the truck.

The radio's static grew louder and she reached forward and switched it off. The side mirror on the truck smashed and she slid to the floor as more and more hail slapped the large truck. Reaching into the open glove box, she rooted around until she found a small packet of salt. She began to tear it open with shaking fingers and started to form an awkward ring around herself.

The sound of groaning metal caught her attention moments before the roof of the truck caved in and the windows smashed out. The power pole that had been flickering above her now lay strewn across the truck and was successfully pinning Jo in her crouched position on the floor.

She began whispering in Latin, her pink lips moving back and forth furiously as she tried to complete the salt circle. Her arm and legs trapped, her left hand shook with the effort as she tossed the salt haphazardly around her.

A large shadow crept over the truck and she looked up. Jo's eyes widened and she let out a scream in horror as it descended upon her. Her screams barely penetrated the night as the rain increased in strength.

Sam Winchesters eyes flew open as his brain digested the last of his vision.

Sweat glistening from his forehead, he ran a shaky hand over his eyes and rolled onto his side. His brother lay in the single bed beside him, long legs dangling over the edge of the old bed. A deep throaty snore reverberated from his pursed lips.

Glancing at the alarm clock, which read 2:30am, Sam swung his legs over the side of the bed. His feet itched on the cold floorboards and he rose, tossing the damp sheets away from him. Dean continued to lay fast asleep while he crossed the room and headed to the bathroom.

The light stung his eyes as he flicked the switch on, and he took a moment to adjust. Outside he could hear the crickets chirping happily and the occasional shift in the trees as the wind tickled its branches. It was the dead of the night and everyone in Bobby's house was fast asleep. All except for Sam, who was recovering from the shock of seeing a familiar face in one of his visions. Visions he hadn't had since the death of the yellow-eyed demon 2 weeks ago. Visions he thought were over.

Splashing cold water on his face, he waited for his heartbeat to return to normal. Sam studied his reflection in the mirror. The paleness that had clung to his features weeks after supposedly returning from the dead in Wyoming had finally dissolved and he scratched his stubble thoughtfully.

_Maybe I should wake Ellen?_ He wondered thinking about his vision of Jo trapped in the car. _But what if it was just a dream and I scare her?_ He gave up on the bathroom and went back to his room. He was surprised to see that Dean was no longer spread out on the bed asleep. Instead he found his brother sitting up against his headboard staring vaguely ahead of him. "Dude, I had the weirdest dream." Dean started, looking at his brother concerned….

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Feedback always appreciated - new chapters to come.


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: Thank you again to Hannah for her quick proof reading and encouraging me to continue. :D

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'**Sharing is Caring'**

Sam recognised the same expression on Dean's face that he'd worn only minutes ago. "Was it about Jo?" Sam asked flicking on the bedside light and sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Yeah." Dean confirmed looking at his brother surprised. "I think so. She was in a phone booth or something." Dean frowned and rubbed his temple as if trying to rub the details to the surface.

"What did you see?" Sam asked curiously leaning forward. He flashed through his own memories of the vision and replayed the scene in the truck trying to remember what she was whispering.

"She got spooked and got in the truck.." Dean paused and shook his head. "My head is killing me." He closed his eyes as he struggled with the pain from a building headache. "Something was trying to get in the truck…I think it was a demon… I can't remember much." He looked across at Sam with accusing eyes. "You had the same dream?" Sam nodded causing Dean to swear. "I think we better wake Ellen." Dean told him tossing his covers aside and started to get out of bed.

"We can't just drop this on her." Sam argued lying down miserably on his bed and waving at Dean to stay in bed. "It'll do more harm than good considering we have no idea about her location-"

"Ohio." Dean inserted quickly. "I recognised the street. Dad and I spent a month in that town for a job." He ran an exhausted hand through his hair. "Why have I got the worst feeling that you got that vision two weeks too late?"

"We." Sam corrected him rolling over to face his brother. "We 'both' got a vision."

"No we didn't." Dean protested throwing his pillow at Sam's face. "Mine was a nightmare. I don't have visions."

"Yes, you do." Sam reminded him. "Remember when Andy sent you a vision of our location? He told me that in his desperation to get the message through to you he might of built a sort of psychic bridge between us."

"What?" Dean hissed angrily leaping out of bed and advancing on his brother.

"Dean it's not necessarily a bad thing." Sam tried to calm him sitting up again. Dean continued to glare down at him but turned and sat back down on his bed.

"He messed with my brain Sam, without my permission. I don't want that freaky mojo shit in my brain." He complained grabbing his pillow back from Sam's bed. He punched the pillow in the middle before flopping down on top of it.

"Mojo shit?" Sam asked defensively.

"Yeah. Weird special shit is your department. Not mine."

"Thanks a lot Dean."

"What?" Dean asked innocently. "Why are you giving me that look?"

Sam ignored his brother and lay back down on his bed. After a few minutes silence Dean agreed to wait til morning. Neither Winchester wanted to be the one to wake the already concerned mother.

After the group of hunters had shut the devils gate they decided the best plan would be for Ellen to move in with Bobby and make his house a sort of base. However from the moment Ellen moved in she had been stalking round the cluttered house in a bad mood. Bobby had tried numerous attempts to distract Ellen with cases but she wanted nothing to do with anything demon related. Instead she spent hours on the phone or the Internet, scouring the country for her missing daughter.

Switching off the light, Sam attempted to go back to sleep with the few remaining hours before dawn. By the time the sun rose Sam was exhausted. The only comfort to him was that his brother looked just as fatigued, if not more so.

Over a tense breakfast, Dean was the one who cracked and confessed to Ellen as she served them fresh pancakes.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Ellen demanded and flung the spatula and mixing bowl in the sink. Bobby entered the kitchen looking tired and cranky and completely oblivious to the argument hanging in the air. Instead he headed to the coffee percolator with a large yawn. "Bobby, I need to borrow your truck." Ellen announced picking the keys up off the hook on the wall.

"Huh?" Bobby asked, though his attention was directed out the kitchen window. Sam leaned passed his brother so he could see what was holding Bobby's interest so keenly. "Well it's about time."

"What?" Ellen asked joining him by the window. A smile burst across her face and she dashed out of the kitchen. Dean shared a confused look with Sam before trailing after her curiously. The dogs barked in alert as Ellen sprinted past the kennels and towards the driveway where a figure was limping towards them.

"Mom?"

"Joanna!" Ellen exclaimed launching herself at the petite blonde and wrapping her up in her arms. Jo protested painfully but eventually gave in and hugged her mom just as tightly. "I've been frantic." Ellen lectured when she finally let go.

"I've been looking for you. A friend told me about the roadhouse and I came as fast as I could." Jo explained hoisting her duffle bag back over her shoulder. As she did so her shirt got caught in the strap and revealed a red soaked bandage around her ribs.

Ellen immediately snatched the bag from her daughter and pulled her shirt up. "You're hurt." She exclaimed. Ellen tried to twist her daughter around to examine where the blood was seeping through. "Lemme see."

"Mom." Jo complained embarrassed and pushed her mom away as the Winchesters and Bobby approached them. "Hi guys." She greeted trying to bat her mother's probing hands away. "Been up to much?"

Bobby chuckled. "Oh you know, trying to stop the world ending and letting loose a few hundred demons … the usual." He told her and stepped forward to hug her gently. "You?"

"Nothing special." Jo lied and gave her mother a stern look as she attempted another look at the bandage around her ribs. "I'm fine." She insisted reaching for her bag. She paused midway, hissing as pain rippled across her features and she straightened slowly. "Just a scratch." She insisted feebly.

"I'll get it." Sam offered sharing a look with Dean before picking up the bag. He grunted as he lifted the heavy bag but yanked it over his shoulder. He smiled awkwardly at Jo and headed inside. Bobby followed after him announcing he was getting Jo some breakfast. Dean however remained where he was and continued to stare at Jo critically.

"What?" She questioned his intense gaze and glanced at her mother for some sort of explanation.

"Nothin'." Dean muttered stepping back from them. "I'll go help Bobby." He turned sharply on his heel and ran back to the house.

"Don't worry about him." Ellen told her taking her by the arm and leading her to the house. "Now tell me the truth, what happened to you? Where have you been? Why didn't you call?"

"Mom." Jo complained shaking her head at Ellen's questions. "I'm fine, really." She insisted entering the house.

"Here." The two Harvelle women stopped in their tracks as Dean appeared in the hallway with a shot glass in hand. He extended the chipped glass filled with a transparent liquid.

Jo snorted. "A little too early for tequila isn't it?" She joked and tried to step around him.

"Take it." Dean blocked her path with his body and extended the shot glass to her hand. "It wont hurt."

Jo narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head. "I don't want any." She insisted stepping back from him.

"Just a sip." He took a step towards her and there was something in the way his features had hardened that implied he was serious.

"I said no." Jo reiterated sounding annoyed. Bobby and Sam entered the hallway to see what the commotion was. Ellen was frowning behind Jo but remained silent.

"One sip and I'll leave you alone."

"Fine." She glanced behind her at Ellen and shrugged. Jo reached out to take the shot glass from his fingers. As Dean let go her fingers loosened and the glass fell to the floor and smashed. Ellen took a step backwards from Jo, her eyes wide with disbelief. She shared a look with Bobby as Jo responded. "Oops."

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	3. Chapter 3

Rating: T (for language)

Notes: Feedback always appreciated - thanks again to Hannah for the beta!

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'**Introductions Please'**

"Sam." Dean called out for his brother, his voice sharp and commanding. Sam instantly stepped up behind Dean and carefully handed him another full shot glass. Dean kept his eyes trained on Jo. She gazed at him innocently from behind her blonde bangs. "Let's try this again."

"Dean-" Ellen interrupted stepping forward to stand at Jo's side. Dean extended his arm slowly towards Jo. His eyes never wavered from her face, studying it intently for a sign or a glimpse of what was truly going on behind her mysteriously clouded hazel eyes. The glass exploded in his hands, driving shards of glass deep into his palm. Dean made a grab for Jo but before he could reach her he was shoved backwards by an invisible force. Sam grunted as Dean flew into him and both of them hit the floor with a thump. Bobby grabbed his shotgun from against the wall and levelled it at Jo. His eyes danced wildly as he tried to anticipate her next move.

Jo smiled at him, an unfamiliar coldness creeping across her young face. "Busted." Her eyes flickered black before resuming their normal brown. Bobby swallowed. His gut instinct told him all he needed to know.

Joanna Harvelle was possessed by a demon.

"Get out of my house." He warned viciously waving the shotgun at the door.

The demon inhabiting Jo smiled, her lips twisted and unnatural. "I wondered how long it would take you. Guess that paranoia paid off for once, huh?"

Bobby growled as the shotgun was snatched from his hand and went flying over his head and clattered in the lounge room. Something hard struck his face and he stumbled backwards.

"You son of a bitch!" Dean snarled finally untangling himself from Sam's long legs and jumping to his feet. He cocked the infamous colt and pointed it directly at her head. "You better get out of that body or-" His hands flew to his neck as an invisible hand chocked him and he was shoved heavily up against a wall.

"Or what?" The demon accused him taking a confident step towards him. "You'll send me back to hell?" She held up her hand in warning as Sam approached her and he went flying backwards again. Sam groaned as a pile of books toppled from the shelves and landed heavily on his head. The demon turned back to Dean. "Not such a big threat when you're going to be there in…" She cocked her head at him, grinning gleefully as he squirmed under the invisible grip. "A couple of months now?"

"What do you want?" Bobby asked glaring at her.

"I want a lot of things." The demon told him with a flash of teeth. Looking over her shoulder she smiled at Ellen. "Daddy sends his best by the way. He'd call but the reception is terrible where he's staying."

"Get the hell out of my daughter." Ellen commanded storming towards her. She stopped short as the power cord from the lamp sprung from the wall and bound itself around her legs. Ellen cried out as she tumbled to the floor.

"Don'-." Sam shouted in warning as Bobby lunged for Jo in retaliation. The demon spun on her heel and lifted her arm, sending the struggling Ellen to hurtle into Bobby. The two crashed into the staircase, smashing the banister to pieces.

"Jo!" Dean gasped trying to kick at her to distract her from her hold on his neck. "Let me go."

"Sorry but Jo's not available right now. Would you like to leave a message?" The demon taunted and increased the pressure on his neck. Dean gagged as he tried to suck some oxygen into his lungs. His eyes flickered dangerously as he fought to stay conscious. "I've missed you Dean. You don't write, you don't," She paused and added more pressure. "Call."

"Let him go!" Sam shouted aiming Bobby's discarded gun at her.

"Ah, if it isn't the boy who would be king." She commented loosening her grip on Dean but not letting him go. Her eyes flickered black and she smiled widely. "How's it going Sammy?"

"Who are you?"

"You could say I'm a friend."

"I don't need anymore 'friends'." Sam snapped switching the safety leaver off the gun. He glanced nervously at his brother and then over at Bobby before looking back at the demon.

"Maybe you're just not making enough of the 'right' kind of friends."

"Why would I need you as a friend?" Sam challenged.

"Lets just say that when you failed to meet expectations the boss sent me in to deliver a little inspiration." She smiled and lifted Dean higher in the air. Dean grunted, kicking his legs and attempted to squirm away from her. "Though I must admit I am pleased I was chosen because this," She paused and added pressure to Dean again making him splutter. "Is so much fun."

"What do I need inspiration for?" Sam spoke up trying to distract the demon from inflicting any more pressure on Dean. He relaxed his stance and lowered his gun trying to persuade the demon he wasn't going to attack her.

"Nice try but I'm not about to spill the beans just yet. I like this body. She fits all nice and snug." She grinned wickedly and winked at Dean. She leaned towards Dean and sniffed deeply, a look of pleasure filling her features. She let out a happy sigh. "I think I might enjoy a little vacation before the end of this body's warrantee."

Without warning Ellen leapt from the stairs and smacked Jo across the head with a heavy book. Jo stumbled around dazed and the force that had held Dean was released and he gasped and coughed as he fell to the floor.

"Sam now!" Bobby shouted as Ellen kicked and successfully knocked Jo's legs out from under her. Sam charged forth, holding a suspicious looking white cloth and a black bottle that had been hiding under a stack of books. Ellen through her weight on top of Jo and kept her pinned to the ground while Sam poured some liquid over the cloth and was careful to keep it within arms reach. Sam grabbed Jo roughly around her waist with one arm while the other clamped over Jo's mouth and nose.

The demon struggled furiously but was unable to match Sam's strength while the cloth was pressed to her mouth. After a couple of moments the demon's eyes fluttered and she sagged in Sam's arms. Sam didn't remove the cloth until he was sure that the demon was really unconscious.

"I told you it was a good idea to keep chloroform in the house." Bobby told them taking the bottle from Sam and tightening the lid back on.


	4. Chapter 4

Rating: T

Notes: Thanks again for the help Hannah!

Spoilers: Mentions of BUABS

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'**Extraction'**

Bobby helped Sam drag Jo's unconscious body into the lounge room and into the middle of the awaiting Devils trap. Ellen, who was limping slightly, went to check on Dean.

"You alright, honey?" Ellen asked offering a hand to help pull him to his feet. Dean nodded, accepting the hand and pulled himself to his feet. He let out a groan and tenderly touched his already bruising neck.

"Ellen, you good?" Bobby called out over his shoulder once he'd finished helping Sam bind Jo's legs to her arms.

"Fine." Ellen muttered. She observed her unconscious daughter warily before letting out a small sigh. "Haven't had to wrestle a demon for a while now. Just a bit out of practise."

"How long do you think she'll be –" Sam was cut of by the sound of a blood curling scream. Wiggling and cursing furiously, Jo's eyes flew open full of black rage. She attempted to sit up. "What the fuck?" Realising she was restrained by the rope she tried rolling away from them. Swearing, she wiggled around trying to loosen the binds.

The hunters stood side-by-side at the edge of the devil's trap and waited for the demon to roll back towards them. After a few minutes the demon gave up on the binds and glared over at them.

"How fucking amusing." The demon snapped at them with disgust. "I suppose you think I'm just going to beg for my life now?"

"It's not you're life we're interested in." Dean told the demon crouching down to her eye level. He frowned as the demon arched her head back and then spat at him. "Fine. Let's do this the hard way then."

The demon inhabiting Jo's body scoffed. "As if you'd so much as lay a finger on me." She grinned up at Ellen. The demon's black eyes where alight with amusement. "Momma Bear would shoot you where you stood before you raised a hand on this body."

"Don't be so sure of that, you stupid son of a bitch." Ellen retorted glowering down at the demon. She took a threatening step towards the edge of the circle and crossed her arms over her chest. "Start talking."

The demon burst out laughing. It's voice hollow and dark. Sam glanced at Bobby with concern in his eyes. Bobby shook his head at Sam and looked pointedly at Dean who was still waiting in a crouched position. "What do you want?" Sam spoke up. Dean turned his head and frowned at Sam.

"A decent tan." The demon replied smugly.

"The demon's got nothin', Bobby. Just do it." Dean motioned for Bobby to start the exorcism. Ellen and Sam took a step back from the circle as Bobby began chanting in Latin. Dean stood once Jo's body began to quiver. Her head snapped up and she hollered furiously as her body began to shake uncontrollably.

Ellen turned away, unable to look at her daughter writhing in pain. Sam put an arm on her shoulder to comfort her, leaving Bobby to continue his onslaught of chanting.

The demon possessing Jo screamed, the walls nearly shaking with the sound. "You can chant all you want, but it wont change anything!" The demon protested and began to squirm under the force of an invisible bind around her chest.

Bobby raised his voice and the demon screeched in response. The fireplace in the wall lit up as a vine of fire began to crawl out from underneath some blackened logs. It spat and continued to creep up into the chimney growing thicker as the demon howled with rage.

Dean watched Jo closely, studying the look of fear and pain spilling from the familiar young features. He winced as her head slapped against the floorboards fighting underneath the grip of an unseen hand. Bobby hesitated, unsure about whether to continue for fear of hurting Jo's body any further.

The shaking ceased immediately and Jo's body collapsed against the floor. Peering out from under a mound of blonde hair she sought Dean's eyes feverishly. "Dean, help me!" She pleaded. Despite the absence of the black eyes, no one in the room believed that it was really Jo crying out to them. "The Demon is killing me." Bobby glanced at Ellen, who watched stricken from beside Sam. "Dean, please stop!" The demon begged, continuing it's impersonation of Jo.

"I'm giving you one more chance, leave her body willingly or we'll remove you permanently." Dean threatened clenching his fists in anger until his knuckles turned white.

She smiled and a sliver of blood slipped from her nose. "What do you care Dean-o?" The demon taunted, it's voice dark and unnatural. "What do you care what happens to this body?"

"Let her go."

"Ooh I'm so scared of the big bad Dean." The demon replied sarcastically. "But why the sudden interest in this one? I thought Sammy was the only thing you cared about?" The demon grinned as Dean's faced paled and she threw her head back in mock ecstasy. "She's begging for you to save her Dean. She's hoping you'll rescue her like you did in Duluth when Sam tried to use her to get to you." The demon looked over Dean's shoulder at Ellen. "Opps. Mommy didn't know that her little Joanna was keeping secrets for a Winchester behind her back. My bad."

Dean didn't dare glance over his shoulder at Ellen. Her small gasp was enough to bring the guilt to the surface. Dean narrowed his eyes at the demon furious. "You talk all you want evil son of a bitch, but you've still got a one way ticket back to the hell you crawled out of."

Bobby went to open his mouth to continue when the demon burst out laughing. "Did I hit a nerve Dean?" She grinned up at him. "Did I embarrass you by revealing to everyone how much yet another Harvelle female wanted a Winchester? Isn't it funny Ellen? How much history tends to repeat itself?" The demon let out a happy sigh.

"You shut your mouth you little-"

"Make me." The demon taunted.

"Bobby!" Dean and Ellen shouted simultaneously.

Bobby resumed chanting quickly, but not before throwing Dean and Ellen a confused look. The demons body jerked furiously to the left and the demon began to scream in pain.

"Mom? Mommy, help me!"

Ellen burst from Sam's arms but Dean caught her in time. "Jo?" Ellen called out struggling against Dean.

"I can't hold on anymore mom! Save me!"

"Ellen it's not her." Dean insisted turning Ellen away from the sight of her daughter begging from inside the trap. "Ellen!" Dean shouted shaking Ellen. "The demon is trying to provoke you by pretending its Jo. But it's not _her_." Ellen shook her head in denial but obeyed Dean's words and allowed Sam to pull her to the corner of the living room away from her howling daughter.

"Dean?" The demon inside Jo called out for him. "Dean, help me."

"Cry all you want, I know you're still possessing her body." Dean told demon with stern eyes. "We won't stop until you're gone."

The demon laughed. "So you don't care if I tear this body to pieces on my way out?" In a flash her eyes turned an oily black and Bobby quickly resumed chanting.

The air around them charged with energy and Sam held onto Ellen tighter as Jo's body twisted into sickening contortions. Dean continued to stare while Jo and the demon seemed to wrestle for the ownership of the body. Her held tilted back and she released a desperate scream into the air. Ellen swore quietly into Sam's shoulder.

"Stop! Dean! Please, you're killing me!" Dean turned away momentarily unable to listen to the cries that sounded so much like real Jo. He frowned and tried to ignore her words knowing deep down in wasn't really Jo. "Dean, please stop." Dean glanced at Ellen feeling guilt fill his veins as she covered her ears to block out the cries. "She knows Dean. She knows your gonna kill her daughter." The demon taunted laughing hysterically. "She warned you to stay away from Jo. She begged you not to go near her."

Bobby stumbled backwards slightly as a heavy gust of wind pushed him back from the circle. The demon cackled and with a snap the binds came free. The demon struggled to its knees attempting to stand until Bobby's fast paced words sent it downward to the ground.

"I'll pass the good news onto the boss then!" The demon shouted as if sensing that it was losing its hold on Jo's body. "You have no idea what's to really come. Her death will only be the beginning. Be seeing you, Dean."

A thunderous clap sounded through the house and Jo opened her mouth and howled. A black cloud purged from her mouth and it descended like a cloud above them.

Bobby raised his voice as he continued to chant until he was forced to shout. The black cloud turned into a funnel and paused momentarily above Jo before it was pulled sideways into the fireplace where it dissolved in a hiss.

Jo's eyes rolled back and she fell to the floor lifelessly.


	5. Chapter 5

Rating: T (for language)

Notes: Thank you for the feedback so far, I really appreciate it. For those who asked I will be updating 2 chapters every day.:D

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'**A moment of Truth'**

Ellen sprung from Sam's arms and ran to her daughter's side. "Jo? Jo? Honey?" She grasped her daughter's head in her hands while pulling her body towards her. Jo remained completely still. "Jo? Joanna? Come on baby?" Ellen's voice shrieked as she pushed the hair back from her motionless daughter's head.

"Let me see." Dean kneeled beside Ellen, checking Jo's pulse. He frowned when he felt none and leaned down to hear her breath. "Quick! Lay her flat." Dean commanded and Sam gently pulled Jo out of Ellen's arms. Bobby pulled the struggling Ellen to her feet so that Sam could kneel opposite Dean.

Pushing all her hair back from her face and tilting her head back, Dean prepared for CPR. Sam crossed his palms and laid them waiting on Jo's chest.

"Jo? Joanna! Come on baby fight!" Ellen called above them clutching Bobby's arm. Tears streaked down the desperate woman's face.

"Ready?" Dean asked Sam and waited for his brother to nod. Dean checked Jo's mouth to make sure her airways where clear before covering her mouth with his own and pushing air into her lungs.

Sam began the rapid pumps to her chest, counting out loud in between Deans exhales. "Come on." Sam muttered pumping away rhythmically trying to bring life back into the small body. He watched Dean's face fill with determination.

"Fight Jo." Dean insisted preparing himself again. He leaned down to check for any sounds in her lungs. "Again Sam." Sam repeated the motions and Dean forced more fresh air into her lungs. He checked for any indication that CPR was working.

"We need to get to a hospital." Ellen shouted whirling around to search the room for the car keys.

"We can't." Bobby reminded her grabbing her arm. "There's nothing a hospital can do for this kind of thing."

"I'm not going to sit here and watch her die, Bobby." Ellen told him yanking her arm free. "I'll take her myself." She darted forth to push Sam aside but Bobby caught her around the waist.

"Ellen, no." He hissed dragging her to the opposite side of the room. "You know we can't take her out of this house."

"Let me go!" Ellen shouted hoarsely. She tried to punch him but he ducked and she missed. Angrily she shoved against his chest and pushed him into the wall. A tower of books crashed to the floor.

Sam glanced over his shoulder at the commotion but continued his rapid pumps against Jo's chest. "Ellen…Stop!" Bobby shouted grabbing hold of her elbow.

"I wont let her die Bobby. Not again." Ellen threw her body weight into him and managed to connect her fist to his jaw. Bobby groaned but caught her next flying fist. He threw her fist away angrily. With a grunt she kicked him solidly in the knee and he doubled over.

"Ellen they wont let you make another deal." Bobby shouted as Ellen made for her daughter. The two Winchesters heads snapped up to look at Ellen. The eldest Harvelle froze.

"Bobby-" Ellen warned turning around to face Bobby with wide eyes.

"I told you to never make a deal with a crossroads demon." Bobby accused her angrily. He looked like he was going to be ill. Yet some how he seemed to retain his stern glare. "I told both of you." He looked at Dean pointedly. "I warned you both that the demon would screw you over."

Sam and Dean stared at Ellen with open mouths. "I.. I didn't know they'd take Bill… It's different this time." Ellen pleaded with Bobby. "I've got nothing left for them to take."

Bobby's shoulders sagged and he tried hard to fight the urge to comfort her. Instead he sighed heavily and tenderly touched his jaw that was already swelling from Ellen's punch. "They'll find something, Ellen." Bobby told her firmly. "They 'always' do."

"Then I'll make a trade." Ellen threatened, looking more resolute. "I've lived long enough. I'll trade my life for hers." Her husky voice quivered slightly as the reality of her words sunk in.

"Like John did?" Bobby snapped furiously. Infuriated by her decision, he grabbed her arm painfully and whirled her around to look at Sam and Dean on the floor. "You saw what it did to those boys. At least they have each other. You wanna leave Jo here on her own? You wanna dump her in this shit with no kind defence? That's selfish Ellen and you know it."

"Bobby, she's my daughter." Ellen pleaded, her voice nearly a whisper. Her eyes searched his face for understanding. As each second passed she could feel her tether on reality starting to slip. She couldn't loose her only child. Not after everything that had happened. She couldn't and she wouldn't.

"And Elizabeth was my wife." Bobby reminded her. Slowly he put a gentle hand on her shoulder as he lowered his voice. "Don't make the same mistakes we did. Let her go."

"I… can't." Ellen stuttered, tears filling her eyes.

A very soft gurgling noise drew Dean's attention. He held up his hand to silence everybody. Bending his head down to Jo's cold lips he listened closely. "Dean?" Sam asked but was silenced with a glare.

Dean turned his head and pressed his lips tightly against Jo's, pinching her nose tight. He took a deep breath and exhaled the air into her mouth. Again he turned his head and listened intently.

A slight gurgle in her lungs barely made it to Dean's eardrum before he looked up at Sam. "Roll her now." Sam swiftly rolled her onto her side a moment before Jo suddenly spewed thick black liquid from her mouth. Dean rubbed his palm up and down her back, forcing the oxygen to push the rest of the liquid out of her lungs.

Jo gasped as her body shuddered with effort until she began to pant. She coughed, her body rejecting the remaining fluid and she wheezed in the strain to push fresh oxygen in and out of her lungs.

"Jo baby?" Ellen gasped and rushed to her side.

Jo's eyes fluttered and she vaguely looked up at Ellen. Dean sat back on his heels and her eyes rolled back into her head. Jo collapsed against Sam's knees exhausted, her breathing shallow.

"Jo?" Ellen soothed pulling Jo into her arms.

"It's alright." Sam assured Ellen as he checked Jo's pulse. "It's steady. She's just collapsed."

"I need a drink." Bobby spoke up pulling off his hat to wipe his sweating brow. Sam hurried off to the kitchen, leaving Dean to stand and assist Ellen with moving Jo.

Dean bent and lifted Jo easily, carrying her over to the couch under Ellen's instructions. He settled her gently while Ellen fetched a blanket and some pillows. When he pulled his hand out from under her back he spotted a spattering of blood on his hand. "Wait." He told Ellen and gently rolled Jo on her side. A long angry claw mark ran across her back, the blood already starting to clot on the edges.

Sam returned with some glasses only to be dispatched by Ellen to find a first aid kit. Bobby ignored the glasses Sam had left on the side table, and took the bottle of whisky and emptied the bottle in four large gulps. When he finally came up for air, small tears coward by his lids. He hissed at the fiery trail the whisky had left down his throat. "I'm gettin' too old for this shit."

Sam glanced at Bobby disturbed, before handing the first aid box to Dean. Ellen had already started to remove the old soaked bandages from around Jo's ribs, while Dean held Jo up and assisted Ellen where he could. After a few tense minutes of redressing Jo in an old shirt Bobby had given them, they finished cleaning up and Dean carried Jo up to Ellen's room. Ellen busied herself in pulling the sheets back and avoided Dean's concerned glances. Finally he lowered Jo's lightweight body onto the creaking bed.

"Thanks, Dean." Ellen told him by way of telling him to get out of her room.

"If you need anything, any help or somethin'." Dean offered politely but was secretly relieved when Ellen shook her head. Heading straight to the bathroom, Dean locked the door behind him and quickly stripped.

Without waiting for the hot water to kick in he descended underneath the shower spray and let the water dispense the memory of the last couple of hours from his mind and slip silently down the drain. When he was sure he could think straight again he released a deep sigh and sagged against the wall. As the water gushed over his tired shoulders he convinced himself it was the spray drowning his vision, not tears.

_iWhy can't anything ever be simple or 'normal'?/i_ He wondered as he buried his face in his hands. The water continued to stream over his head relentlessly as he continued to battle his internal demons_.i So close/i,_ he thought miserably. With the recent death of his brother and his own impending death sentence Dean felt the poisonous traces of fear begin to work through his veins.i _Just when I thought the war was finished they bring in the second line_,/i he thought gloomily. i_When is it going to be over?/i_

"Dean?" A knock at the door interrupted his dark thoughts and he stood up again. "You alright?" Sam concerned voice filled the foggy air as he opened the door a crack.

"I'm good." Dean mumbled.

"You've been in there for nearly an hour. " Sam explained. "I hope you left some hot water for everyone else."

Dean quickly shut off the taps. Sam shut the door and left Dean back to his thoughts. Unable to believe he had been in the shower for more than an hour, Dean quickly towelled himself and opened the door.

Steam escaped from the small bathroom and filled the hallway as he ducked across to his shared bedroom. He quickly dressed and hurried downstairs. "Any breakfast left?" He asked.

************************************************************

Ellen was absent as the three hunters sat around the kitchen table. Only the sound of the percolator bubbling in the corner could be heard and the occasional scrape of a spoon against a bowl. Bobby continued his gazing out the window deep in thought, while Sam poured over a large faded book. Dean watched his brother sip his coffee while turning the pages before he became restless.

His back muscles where still protesting loudly at being tossed into a wall but he was too wired to consider sleeping it off. Dean began to drum his fingers against the tabletop taking no notice of the glare he received from Sam. There was a sound of footsteps above them and several seconds later Ellen appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"Coffee's ready." Bobby told her and she nodded at him while grabbing a clean mug from the dish rack.

"Any change?" Sam asked politely.

Ellen sighed as she poured the coffee and shook her head. "She just looks like she's sleeping." She answered in a voice that was thick with unshed tears.

"She'll be alright El." Bobby assured her gently. "She's as tough as boots that kid. She'll be right in no time."

"Maybe." Ellen said quietly shrugging while staring down at her coffee. "Maybe not." She added some milk to her coffee before excusing herself and heading back upstairs.

When the footsteps squeaked above their heads again Dean stood up. "I'll go and get some wood in town and start workin' on that broken railing." He announced reaching for his keys on the hook.

"Dean, don't worry about it." Bobby insisted. "It doesn't matter."

"S'ok." Dean reassured him with a forced smile. "Need to do something other than twiddling my thumbs."

Sam didn't look up from his book when his brother hurried out of the house. After the Impala started up with it's usual exaggerated roar, he sighed and turned a page in his book. "He'll be fine Bobby." Sam told Bobby. "He just needs to drive it out of his system and he'll come back when he's ready. He always does when he's really upset about something."

"I swear," Bobby exclaimed with a shake of his head. "Sometimes I don't know whether I'm looking at John or if I'm looking at Dean."

Sam nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I know what you mean." After several minutes of silence Sam shut his book and looked at Bobby seriously. "Do you really think Jo will be ok?"

Bobby was quiet for a few minutes as he weighed up the question. "If it was anybody else Sam I'd say no. But Jo… I've seen her come out of some doozey's as a child. There's a…" He paused and scratched his beard absently. "There is a lot you two don't know about the Harvelle family. Some things even John didn't know." He added mysteriously. "But it's not my place to tell you."

Sam watched curiously as Bobby rose from the table and left the kitchen sipping his coffee. Narrowing his eyes deep in thought, he stared out the window trying to figure out what Bobby meant.

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Feedback always appreciated ;D


	6. Chapter 6

'**Finding Jo'**

As the day wore on the small group of hunters kept close. Ellen spent most of the day locked in the bedroom upstairs, only coming downstairs to grab another cup of coffee before wordlessly heading back upstairs.

Dean too spent the day out the back of the junkyard, measuring and cutting the wood for the new banister. By the time Sam came out to hand him some lunch, he was back to cracking jokes and teasing his brother when he offered to help. Sam left his brother to his work, knowing that his brother was going to be fine.

By the time Dean emerged from the yard it was sunset. Sam had finished cooking dinner and handed Dean a plate to give to Bobby. Dean found him, fast asleep in his favourite arm chair with a book in his lap. Dean nudged the older hunter awake and handed him a plate of steak and corn.

After a quiet dinner Sam and Bobby sat and watched grainy tv, while Dean headed up stairs with a plate for Ellen. He knocked gently on the door before entering. He was quick to flick the light off when he saw Ellen curled up asleep beside Jo. Setting the plate on the table he pulled the comforter off the end of the bed and gently laid it over Ellen. As he rounded the bed, he gently laid two fingers against Jo's neck to check her pulse. It was beating strong and steady.

He sighed with relief and was startled when Ellen rolled over. "Dean?"

"Sorry if I woke you." He whispered. "Thought you might want some dinner." He motioned to the plate beside her on the table.

"What time is it?" Ellen asked groggily squinting up at him.

"A little bit after seven." He stepped away from Jo to switch on the beside light while Ellen rubbed her eyes sleepily. She yawned and thanked him, taking the plate and the offered cutlery from him.

On the other side of the bed Jo mumbled something unintelligible and kicked her leg out before going still again. Ellen saw Dean's concerned glance and took a bite of her steak. "She's been doing that for the last couple of hours." She explained.

"She hasn't woken up though?"

Ellen shook her head taking another bite of steak. "No. Just mumbling in her sleep but she's running a bit of a fever so I don't know if that's a good sign or not."

"Do you need anything? I can drive to town and get some medical supplies if you want?" Dean offered trying to hide the worry on his face. He took in Jo's flushed cheeks and cherry red lips.

"No, it's ok. I've got everything under control for now." She gave him a soft smile. "Thanks honey."

Dean nodded and left the room with a last glance at Jo. He shut the door behind him gently and joined the others by the tv. "How's she doing?" Bobby asked rubbing his red eyes.

"Ellen said she's got a fever, but is hoping it's nothing." Dean reported taking a sip of Sam's beer after joining him on the couch.

"Well that's normal isn't it?" Sam asked looking at Bobby for confirmation. "The body is still trying to purge the alien entity that was in her body. Now it's just disposing all the toxins out of her body."

"Thanks Dougie."

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother and Bobby let out a chuckle. "Go easy on your brother Dean, if I recall correctly your favourite show was 'Wonder Woman'."

"Well she was a babe." Dean protested with a hint of blush on his face.

"Uh-huh. So you covered one of your fathers ropes in alfoil and had it pinned to your belt because you liked her sense of dress?" Sam burst out laughing at Dean's petulant look. Bobby hid his grin while sipping his own beer.

"Shut it." Dean warned his brother.

"Did you wear the crown too Dean?" Sam teased and only laughed harder when Dean punched him in the shoulder. "Oww… Wonder Dean… Owww that really hurts!"

*********************************

Later that night when the house was quiet and Sam had stopped crying over his bruised shoulder, Dean lay awake staring at the ceiling. After a childhood of sporadically staying at Bobby's house Dean knew there was exactly forty three slats of wood on the floor, twelve – no make that fifteen cracks in the ceiling and twenty nine blocks of pattern on the curtains.

Sam was snoring softly beside him in the next bed and after several minutes of watching Sam's nose inflate which each breath, Dean entertained the idea of sticking a pen up his little brother's nose. Grinning, he rolled over and faced the window, trying to will himself to sleep.

Eventually he felt his body fall into a relaxed rhythm and he felt the tug of sleep. He shut his eyes and gave into his dreams. An hour later a creak in the floorboards startled him awake.

He sat up slowly, waiting for another sound. He was rewarded with another creak and caught sight of an almost transparent shadow passing under his door. The owner of the shadow paused at the foot of the stairs before heading slowly downstairs.

Dean glanced over at his brother to make sure he was still asleep. Sam's face was pinched with concentration and he murmured softly as he rolled over. Sliding his hand under his pillow, Dean pulled out his hunting knife and slowly rose to his feet.

Slowly opening the door, he peered outside and spotted Bobby looking exhausted at his own bedroom door, a shotgun in his hand. Dean waved at him that he would investigate. Bobby shrugged and slipped back inside his room. Slowly he stepped around the creaky floorboard and headed down the stairs.

Something heavy thumped to the floor in the lounge room. Dean inched down the last couple of stairs. A blur of shadow and increased footsteps caused Dean to press himself tightly to the wall as he crept silently to the lounge room.

Dean reached the doorway. Sliding his hand along the wall he found the light switch and hesitated before jumping into the room. "Hey!" Dean barked as the figure lunged towards him. Anticipating the attackers move he was able to side step them and shoved them in the opposite direction.

Unable to see his attacker in the dark room he darted to the wall and hit the light switch. He swore when he identified his would be attacker. "Jo? What the hell?"

Jo stood dressed in only an over sized t shirt that reached her knees. She narrowed her eyes at him, still bent ready to attack, breathing heavily. She straightened slightly but did not relax her body. She glanced around the living room suspiciously. "Dean?" She asked unsure rocking back and forth on her heels.

Dean looked at her stunned. "Yeah." He took a wary step towards her, his arms open to show that he wasn't going to hurt her and put his knife on the couch slowly. "You alright?" He asked, taking another small step towards her.

As he got closer to her he could see she was shaking. She glanced around the room apprehensively before looking up at him with large brown eyes. She shook her head and bit her lip as tears sprouted from her eyes. She backed away from him.

"It's okay." Dean tried to soothe her taking another step towards her. "You're safe now." He extended his hand towards her, waiting patiently as she stared at his extended hand and then around the room.

"It's over?" She asked in a small voice.

Dean nodded. A second later she dove in his arms and he caught her. His arms closed around her awkwardly as she began to sob into his shoulder. Trying to console her, he began to lightly rub her back as large sobs racked her body. "It's alright." He murmured into her hair.

A dull ache in the back of his mind spread rapidly until searing pain surged to his head. He blinked as the image of Jo sprung to his mind. Recognising the pain from only weeks ago, when Andy had sent him his first vision, he knew he had to sit down before the next onslaught of images.

He quickly guided them to the couch. His legs threatened to fall out from under him. Another surge of pain clasped the side of his head and he tried not to shout as his eyesight went blurry. Jo didn't seem to notice as he unconsciously pulled her tighter. Another wave of pain forced him to close his eyes.

The image of Jo swam in his mind. She was sitting in a tattoo parlour handing a black-eyed woman a piece of paper.

More images invaded his mind.

Jo's sobs stopped short yet she remained where she was buried in his shoulder. Dean barely noticed as another bolt shot through his body. He shut his eyes against the pain and saw the tattoo artist swiping blood and excess ink from a design on Jo's tailbone. The image went murky until all he saw clearly was Jo's smirk, her eyes an oily black.

He stiffened and felt her tense in his arms. With her head still buried in his shoulder he did not see the briefest flash of black in her eyes. He heard her sharp intake of breath and knew something wasn't right.

"Dean!"

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	7. Chapter 7

**Rating**: T

**Notes:** Thank you to everyone who has given such lovely feedback - I truly appreciate it. :D

* * *

'**The Anchor'**

Dean looked up to see a dishevelled Sam standing at the doorway. His eyes where alight with panic and he held Bobby's shot gun tightly. "Dean…" He glanced down at Jo curled up in Dean's arms and swallowed uneasily. "Can I…ah… talk to you for a minute?"

Dean looked down at Jo before giving his brother a look. "Sam?" Dean asked still fighting the nausea from his mild hallucinations.

"I.. need to talk to you. For just a second." Sam repeated.

Dean went to remove Jo's arm when he realised she was clinging onto his shoulders tightly. Her breathing changed to little pants. He was surprised to feel her heart beating so fast against his chest. "Jo?"

"Don't let me go." She whispered raising her face, her eyes full of tears and her eyes dancing back and forth franticly.

"Dean." Sam insisted striding across the room.

Jo began to squirm. "Don't let him touch me." She hissed and cried out when Sam grabbed her arm tightly and wrenched her away from Dean.

"Sam, what's going on?" Dean asked angrily. He caught his brother's arm just as Sam raised his fist. "What are you doing?"

"She's still possessed." Sam pointed out struggling to hold her as she tried to shake off his arm.

"Let me go Sam. Please let me go." Jo pleaded between sobs.

"What the hell is going on down here?" Bobby asked from the doorway. His eyes widened when he saw Jo struggling to get out of Sam's grip. "Sam?"

"She has a Hanlkora on her." Sam explained. "Dean, help me pin her down."

"What?" Dean asked incredulously.

"She's got a mystical tattoo that's anchoring the demon to her. Any demon has access to her now and can come and go as it pleases." Jo screamed in fright and tried to lash out at Sam. Bobby grabbed her kicking legs immediately and helped Sam lower her to the ground. "Dean lift up her shirt." Sam instructed, throwing his weight into holding down her top half. Jo began to sob under his body.

"This is crazy, Sam." Dean told them but lifted her shirt.

"You saw it too, Dean. In the vision. The demon is trying to lock itself back inside like Meg did to me." Sam tried to persuade him.

Dean didn't look convinced, but did as his brother asked and pushed back Jo's panties slightly to reveal an ugly black tattoo on her tail bone. "Aw fuck." Bobby spat angrily. "Ellen!" He hollered up to the ceiling. Seconds later the sound of stomping feet ran across the ceiling and down the stairs.

"Bobby, wh… oh Christ." Ellen stopped short behind Bobby when she saw Jo's exposed back. She covered her mouth before dropping beside Bobby. "Tell me that's not…"

"You know what to do Ellen. Dean, hold her legs while I grab the gear." Ellen moved aside so that Dean could take Bobby's position and put pressure down on Jo's calves. Bobby sprinted upstairs.

"I'm sorry honey. I'm so sorry." Ellen told her daughter.

"Mom?" Jo asked in a shaky voice. "Mom, what's happening?"

Ellen looked like she was going to be sick but answered her as best she could. "It's ok Jo honey, just relax now ok. It'll all be over soon."

Jo began to struggle against Sam. "Let me go." She shouted and tried to bite his arm. Sam moved his arm out of her reach but kept a firm pressure to her shoulders to keep her on her stomach. "Mom, make them let me go."

"Shhh." Ellen told her. "Just hold on, we'll make it all better in a minute." Bobby returned looking stressed but determined and threw a small bag down next to Dean. Dean peered over his shoulder to watch what Bobby was doing.

"Get off me!" Jo shouted and began to furiously buck against their weight.

"Ellen, keep her still." Bobby warned applying some antiseptic to Jo's skin before pulling out an alarmingly long silver needle with a hook halfway up.

"Come on Jo honey, I promise it'll go away but you need to hold still now." Ellen tried to calm Jo, but her bucking was becoming more insistent and she kept trying to throw Dean's hands off her legs.

"Ellen." Bobby warned and Ellen threw her weight onto Jo's back to keep her spine still. Dean did the same on Jo's legs and he watched with horror as Bobby inserted the needle. The howl that emanated from Jo's mouth was unnatural and the roar echoed through everyone's ears.

The needle began to glow red hot and Bobby used his shirt sleeves to hold the end as he turned the needle anti clockwise. Black ooze began to seep from the wound and Dean wanted to cover his nose from the smell of burning flesh.

He turned away, unable to watch like his brother. Bobby began to yank on the needle. Jo's screaming stopped immediately and Bobby tugged harder. The needle came free, but with it, coiled in the hook was a black slug like object.

Ellen held out a jar of holy water and Bobby scraped it off inside and shut the lid quickly. The glass began to steam and a white mist swirled around angrily in the jar.

"Wait, is that supposed-" Sam started pointing at Jo's back. He watched with fascination as Jo's messy wound instantly began to seal and the blood disappeared. The tattoo faded and within seconds the wound had vanished without a trace of a scar.

"That explains why she didn't wake up before now." Bobby told Ellen as he casually picked up the jar and shook it. The slug lay dead inside at the bottom of the jar "She had too many toxins in her system and she couldn't repair herself."

"What?" Dean asked dumbfounded, still sitting on Jo's legs.

Ellen eased herself off Jo and motioned at Sam and Dean to do the same. Gently Ellen rolled Jo onto her back and began to nudge her awake. Slowly Jo's forehead creased in concentration and her eyes blinked open. "Mom?" She asked confused.

"It's me."

"What…I… Where…?" Jo stuttered looking around the room disturbed. She flushed red when she saw Sam and Dean staring down at her. "I.. Um… I…" She started to sit up when she realised the state of dress she was in. Franticly tugging her shirt back down she sent her mother a desperate look.

"You boys mind?" Ellen asked half amused at Dean's shocked expression and Sam's equally perplexed face.

"You need anything Jo?" Bobby asked standing up with his bag.

"Pants?" Jo asked looking sheepish.

Bobby tried to hide his smile and he dragged Dean by the arm upstairs. When Bobby left to get Jo some clothes Sam pulled Dean into their bedroom. "Did you see that?"

"The big worm thing?" Dean asked looking squeamish. "That thing was gross man."

"No." Sam hissed impatiently. "She healed herself. That whole wound. It was a mess Dean. That should of taken weeks to heal."

"Well it was a mystical lock thingy." Dean debated. "Why shouldn't it heal mystically?"

"Because even mystical locks leave scars." Sam held out his arm as demonstration of the scar on his arm that he'd received a year ago from Meg.

"So?" Dean asked failing to see where his brother was going with it.

"She's a healer Dean." Sam cried exasperated. "Don't you see? She's like me. She's one of the children. I bet her power is to heal."

"Now hold on there, Mulder." Dean waved off his brother. "Don't go driving the bandwagon here."

"Remember what Bobby said to Ellen about making deals?"

Dean frowned in thought. "Yeah that did kind of bother me." He admitted scratching the back of his head absently.

"She must of bargained Jo's life and the demon took Bill as payment."

"Sam, slow down." Dean tried to persuade his brother. "You're making all kinds of accusations here."

"Listen Dean, yesterday when you left to get wood for the banister Bobby said something to me." When he was sure his brother was listening carefully he continued. "He said, 'There is a lot you two don't know about the Harvelle family. Some things even John didn't know'."

Dean rose his eyebrows. "What kind of things?"

"I don't know. He said it wasn't his place to tell us."

"Well then who's is it?"

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	8. Chapter 8

**Rating:** T (for naughty language)

**Notes:** I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far, please feel free to let me know if you do...or you don't! :D

* * *

'**Go Fish'**

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ellen asked Jo again. Jo gave her mom a frustrated look. Ellen smiled. "Okay, Okay. Bad question."

"So you don't know anything about what happened that week I was possessed?" Jo asked shrugging on a new t-shirt. Sam had found the bag she had arrived with under a pile of books and brought it up to her. She was relieved to see nearly every article of clothing she owned stuffed in the old duffle bag. There where a few new pieces, in the form of lingerie, that she shoved hastily to the back of the bag before her mom could see.

Ellen shook her head. "Nothing. I didn't think twice, you always disappear for a week at a time without contacting me."

Jo nodded feeling guilt pang in her chest. "Sorry." She mumbled pulling her hair back into a ponytail. "Does Ash know anything? Maybe he can try tracking… what?"

Jo turned around and caught the tears stinging her mom's eyes. Jo covered her mouth to stop herself from shouting. "Mom, where's Ash?"

"Honey.. I…"

"No." Jo shouted. She shook her head profusely and backed away from her mother. "No. I don't want to hear it." Without another word Jo fled the room and raced down the stairs. Keeping her head ducked low, she avoided Bobby's sympathetic stare and ran outside. She kept running, ignoring the pain that welled in her chest, and disappeared into the back of the junkyard.

********************************************

"No!"

Dean and Sam looked to the door as they heard Jo's shout. Opening the door, Dean watched Jo sweep past them and down the stairs. Dean looked to Ellen for an explanation and saw the older woman with her head in her hands.

"Ellen?" Dean asked gently. "Is everything ok?"

Ellen shook her head. "She didn't know…her and Ash where like brother and sister."

"Ellen?" Bobby asked reaching the top of the stairs. "You want me to go after her?" He looked concerned as he glanced outside.

Ellen shook her head. "No. Give her a bit. It's been too much for her. I shouldn't of said anything." She excused herself and shut the bedroom door behind her. Bobby nodded at the boys to keep quiet for the time being and headed back down stairs.

Sam threw himself down on his bed and sighed. "I'll second that." Dean said with a frown and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You know," Dean said with a bad attempt at a grin. "I reckon it's times like this that made God decide to invent whisky." Sam just groaned in response.

************************************

By the time dusk rolled in Dean was nominated to go look for Jo. After calling out her name a couple of times he headed into the junkyard. Navigating his way around half completed cars and pieces of twisted metal he eventually found her lying in the back of an old Cadillac looking up at the sky.

Dean examined the car she was in, recognising it barely from a year ago when it had been towed in. Back then it had been a complete car, all that was missing was its engine. Now it was a mess.

All the windows in the car had been shattered and the hood and boot of the car were smashed and torn. A familiar crow bar impaled the side of the passenger door. Dean couldn't help but smile at the memory of his own 'detailing' on the impala.

"This your work?" He asked, leaning against the car door with his back to her.

"I didn't like the colour." Her deadpanned voice floated back.

Dean nodded, trying to hide his smirk. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Nope."

"Good. Me either." Dean answered honestly. After a view minutes of silence he glanced over his shoulder at her. "You cold?"

"Nope."

"You gonna stay out here all night?"

"Maybe."

"Okay." Dean shrugged and looked back up at the sky. Little stars where just coming into view and if he was a carefree guy he'd admit it was almost romantic. But he wasn't and the situation was far from romantic. In fact he could hear the strain in each breath she took to keep the pain bottled inside.

"Life is fucked up." She told him after a couple of minutes silence.

"I hear you."

"I wish I smoked weed." Dean looked over his shoulder surprised and saw her lying with her eyes closed.

"Really?" He asked disbelieving.

"Yup."

"And that's because?"

"Then I could blame our fucked up lives on the drugs." She opened her eyes and looked at him sadly. "Demons? What demons? The government is the real demon's man."

"They are the real demons." Dean rushed to advise her. "Even hell is trying not to associate themselves with the government."

A small smile flickered at the edges of her mouth and she slowly sat up. Watching her wipe off some glass from her legs, Dean saw that the front of her t-shirt was stained with blood. He opened his mouth to ask about it when she shot him a warning look.

"I'm fine." She insisted and started to climb out of the Cadillac. Dean offered her a hand but she waved him off. He tried not to stare at the blood pool in the back seat she had just vacated from. "So let me guess? Mom's cooked about seven batches of brownies and sent you out here to stuff me with them?"

Dean grinned embarrassed and pulled out a napkin with two brownies inside. He offered them to her. Jo rolled her eyes and took them. "There's no special ingredients in them sorry." He apologised with a smile. "You'll have to wait till I go into town tomorrow."

She nodded and began to pick at one. She sniffed a certain piece before popping a piece in her mouth. "Mmm." She said with a frown. "Holy water… yum,"

Dean shrugged embarrassed. "You know they had too right?" He assured her. "I had to have one too." He smiled. "Sam ate 4 pieces to be sure. He's very thorough my brother."

"I bet he is." Jo nodded with a faint smile. She followed him as he led them back to the house. When they reached the end of the junkyard she stopped him. "Dean?" She asked quietly avoiding his eyes. "Was it bad?"

"What?"

"Ash?" She swallowed and he saw her bite her lip to stop from crying.

"It was quick." He assured her, feeling awkward as she nodded. "They set fire to the roadhouse." She ducked her head and held her breath. Feeling at a loss to help her, he wound an arm around her and pulled her to his chest. "We did everything we could." He felt her nod, but she didn't say anything.

Eventually she exhaled and took a shaky deep breath. Dean tried not to dwell on how it had only been the night before since he'd held her like this. This time however she did not cry and her body remained rigid and tight. "Come on." He told her letting go and taking her by the arm. "Make it look like you really love your brownie. Bobby's watchin' us like a curious grandma."

Jo nodded and stuffed the rest of her brownie in her mouth. Dean waved to Bobby and saw the older hunter dart away from the window embarrassed.

************************************

"Got any fours?"

"Sammy." Dean complained aggravated at his brother. Sam looked up from behind his cards innocently. "We are supposed to be playing poker, not 'go fish'."

"But we always play poker. I don't feel like taking your money tonight." Sam argued and took a sip of his beer.

Dean glared at him. "My money? You are seriously deluded if you think you're better at poker than I am."

"You both suck at poker." Jo told them picking up the pile of rumpled notes from the middle of the table.

"Hang on there, sweetheart. Where do you think your going with my haul?" Dean asked slapping her hands down. "Sam hasn't bet yet."

Jo shrugged. "He hasn't got anything good and you've been sitting on that pair of kings since the beginning of the game." She smiled at him and tossed her remaining cards at him. It was four aces. Dean groaned and threw his cards down in disgust.

"Thanks a lot Sam."

"I told you we should of played scrabble."

"I hate scrabble."

"Only because I beat you every time."

"'Cos you cheat!" Dean exclaimed.

"Just because I know more than four letter words doesn't mean I'm cheating."

"Impedimenta isn't even a word!" Dean exclaimed angrily and threw his beer cap at his brother.

"Would you lot keep it down?" Bobby hollered from the living room. The sound of a football game increased its volume to drown out the Winchesters bickering. Jo couldn't help but grin and gathered all the cards up.

"Dean, you're such a bone head." Sam hissed.

"Did they teach you that word in Harvard little brother?" Dean snipped back with a grin. He glanced at Jo and caught her hiding a yawn behind her hand. "Well my little nerds, I'm off to bed to get some beauty sleep."

"So we'll see you in a year then?" Sam quipped.

"Funny." Dean said and backhanded his brother's head as he headed for the stairs. Sam rubbed the back of his head absently before smiling at Jo. She was rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"You going too?"

Jo stopped rubbing his eyes and flushed red. "With him?"

Sam tried not to grin, but struggled at her embarrassed expression. "No. I meant are you going to bed now too?" Jo shook her head and dropped her eyes down to the cards and began shuffling. The air around them grew awkward. Only the sound of Jo shuffling the cards and the football game swirled around the room. "So." Sam tried leaning back in his chair. "Got any fours?"

Jo grinned and put the cards down. "I'm not really tired."

Sam nodded in understanding. "I didn't feel like sleeping much after either." Jo looked up at him surprised. "After the demon… Meg." He started to pick at the label on his beer. "At first I couldn't remember much. Then bits and pieces came to me in dreams. I still can't remember everything, but I do remember the bar."

Jo looked down at her hands and he watched her to be sure he wasn't upsetting her. She picked at a knot in the wood and shifted uncomfortable. "I guess we're even then." She muttered.

"No… hey.. Jo." Sam tried to reach out for her but she kept her arms tightly drawn to her side. "I wasn't trying to make you feel bad or anything. I was just trying to tell you that.."

"Touch Down!" Bobby shouted from the living room.

Sam rolled his eyes as Bobby cheered for his team oblivious to the conversation in the kitchen. "What?" Jo asked quietly.

Sam sighed. "I was trying to tell you that you're not alone. That we're here for you."

"We?" Jo asked vaguely still avoiding his eyes.

Sam frowned unable to understand why she looked so angry. "Yeah. Bobby, Me and Dean. We can help you."

"Look Sam." She huffed and looked up but didn't meet his eyes. "I understand you're trying to be the nice understanding big brother figure here but lets face it. If I'd never been possessed nothing would of changed. Nothing has changed."

"Wha-?" Sam asked completely bewildered by the angry tears in her eyes.

"I'm not one of you."

"One of?"

"Just because you thought you saw something doesn't mean I'm some psychic freak."

"You sound like Dean."

"Don't." Jo warned standing up and kicking her chair back. "Just.." She glared at him, fear etched in every line of her face. "Just leave me alone."

"Jo-" Sam cried after her but she had already stormed out of the room. Sam slumped in his chair trying to replay the conversation in his head. The door to the bathroom slammed upstairs.

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	9. Chapter 9

**Rating:** M (Very, very bad language)

**Notes:** Thank you soooo much to everyone for their feedback and suggestions - I really appreciate it. I hope everyone is happen with where it is going. Once again, Hannah - you are a super beta!

* * *

'**Fight Club'**

"Well what did you expect her to do? Ask for a membership discount?" Dean accused Sam angrily while brushing his teeth the next morning.

"I don't know." Sam replied frustrated. He closed his eyes and leant back against the wall. "It's not healthy to bottle everything up."

"Say's who?" Dean debated rinsing his mouth. "Listen Sam. Jo's been through enough without you Dr Phil-ing her. If she doesn't want to talk about it then that's her right."

"But Dean," Sam pleaded. "If she is one of the children then we need to plan our next move. She may be in danger."

Dean gave his brother a hard look. "Yellow eyes is dead Sammy. It's over."

"No it's not." Sam urged following Dean out of the bathroom and back into their bedroom. "My visions are back. In fact they are so strong this time that you are feeling the shock waves."

"What?" Dean looked at his brother sceptically as he pulled his socks on.

"I had two intense visions about Jo. I don't know why and what it's about. But what I do know is that Jo is the centre of all this."

"Oh come on Sam." Dean exclaimed. "What is really going on here?" He paused and stopped putting his boots on. He lowered his voice. "Are you sweet on her?"

"What?" Sam balked. "No way. Besides she's your-"

"My what?" Dean snapped looking fierce. "My what?" He repeated.

Sam backed away from the unfamiliar look in his brothers eyes. "Nothing. Your friend. She's your friend too."

Dean raised his eyebrow at him but went back to his boots. "You reaching Sam. Your searching for something that isn't there."

"Dean-"

"No Sammy. That's enough." Dean told him firmly. He stood up and pointed to Sam's clothes. "We're leaving in a couple of days so start getting your gear together."

"We can't leave now!" Sam protested.

"If you want to stay and play nurse maid then fine." Dean told him through clenched teeth. "But there's work to do and I'm not sitting around here waiting for the end." He caught the look of surprise on Sam's face and sighed. "I haven't forgotten Sam and I wanna make sure I take as many of those sons of bitches with me."

Sam remained silent, but his face was clear that he was unhappy. Dean sighed and turned on his heel and headed down stairs for breakfast before heading out to the yard to finish the banister.

***************************************

"Here."

Dean looked up from sanding the wood to see Jo standing with a sandwich and a bottle of soda. Pulling the transparent work goggles off he tossed them onto the wood and dusted the wood chips off his shirt.

She waited patiently until he was ready before handing the food over. He peeked inside his sandwich and grinned. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." She looked at his work and paused over one piece of wood. "Looks almost ready."

Dean nodded while stuffing the sandwich into his mouth. "Just needs a lacquer and it's done." He mumbled, bits of lettuce falling out of his mouth.

"So you'll be taking off soon?" She asked trying to sound vague while tracing her finger over the edge of the wood. She stopped when she got a splinter and started to push on her finger to push it out. "Ow."

"Here." Dean put his coke down and grabbed her finger.

"It's fine. Just a dumb splinter." She protested pulling her arm back away.

"Well what did you expect when you run your fingers over freshly cut wood?" He asked amused and grabbed her hand harder this time. He pulled it up towards his face and spotted the dark splinter in her pale index finger.

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his swiss army knife and clicked open the tweezers. "Don't worry about it." She tried embarrassed to pull her hand away.

"Will you relax?" He grumbled at her. "It can't be any worse than what you did to my shoulder. Next time I'll just keep the bullet in there." He teased. As expected she open her mouth to protest when he jerked on the splitter. "There." He showed her the splinter on the tweezers. "All done now you big girl."

"Thanks." She muttered and examined her finger. There was no sign of a puncture mark on her finger. "So." She started casually jamming her hand in her pockets this time. "This mean your leaving soon?"

"Why? You tryin' to get rid of me?" Dean teased finishing off his soda.

"Not you." She muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing." She grinned at him assuring. "I was just hoping that you could give me a ride."

"To town?"

"Or the nearest bus stop."

Dean stopped and frowned at her. "You sure that's a good idea?"

"Didn't say it was. But staying here isn't an option." She kicked at a stray piece of metal on the ground and ignored his intense stare.

"So you think hunting is going to make you feel better than being safe at home with loved ones?" Dean accused folding his arms across his chest.

"This isn't my home." She snipped turning away from him. She pretended to inspect one of the cars lining Dean's work area. She sighed and leant against one of the cars. "Look I realise you're trying to be nice, which is weird, but you don't have to pretend. I get it."

Dean raised his eyebrow at her. "Pretend what?"

"I'm the splinter."

"Huh?"

She sighed. "I don't fit. I try to insert myself places but all I do is cause irritation. So I'm leaving. I'll get out of everyone's way and just go and do something useful and when that's done I'll move onto something else."

"Sounds pretty lonely." Dean pointed out. "And it sounds like crap too." Jo shot him a startled look. "Listen Jo all that not fitting in talk is bullshit."

"What?"

"It is. You have a mother in there that loves you and was willing to make a deal with the devil just to see you breath again." He scowled at her. "And Bobby, he cares about you to. You should have seen the look on his face when he was trying to get the demon out of you. He looked like he was going to personally storm into hell and strangle the thing responsible."

"He'd do the same for any of you."

"Maybe." Dean shrugged. "You have opportunity Jo. There is so much left for you to do and to throw it all away and live in the dark is bullshit. You're just scared."

"Fuck off." She snarled and started to walk away.

"Fine. Runaway then."

"Excuse me?" Jo asked whirling around. Her eyes flashed with anger.

Dean had already turned back to his workbench by the time she managed to speak again. "Your one to talk."

"Say again?" Dean asked looking annoyed.

"Who the hell do you think you are trying to give me a guilt trip, you hypocrite?"

Dean tried not to laugh at her outburst. "What are you going on about?"

Jo folded her arms stubbornly looking determined. Something in her body language changed and Dean found himself become aware of how much older she suddenly looked. "You heard me." She smiled sarcastically at him. "Liar."

"Sticks and stones princess." Dean shrugged her off.

"Whatever." She snapped turning to walk away again. He watched her walk to the edge of the junkyard before suddenly stopping and spinning on her heel. "No. You know what? I'm going say it."

Dean looked bemused. "Say what?" He rolled his eyes. "Your gonna tell me what a mean jerk I am?"

"No." Her eyes where like steel the way they settled on him. Dean suddenly felt very nervous and wondered oddly if she was possessed again.

"Well then?" He asked her.

"You're a cunt."

Dean chocked on his own saliva in shock. He looked at her wide eyed with bewilderment. "What did you just call me?"

"Does the truth hurt Dean?" Jo asked looking unfazed. "Someone had to say it."

"That's real precious Jo. Does you mom know what a mouth you have?"

"Where did you think I learned it from?" She snapped still staring him down.

"Well that's delightful. Now run along and go and bitch to someone else." He knew the minute the words left his mouth he was going to regret it. But there was something in the way she spoke told him that he had to silence her before she said something that really did hurt him.

"Right that's it." Jo started to storm towards him. "There's no way the crossroad demon is getting her hands on you before I kick the crap out of you."

"What?" Dean asked startled. He didn't move in time before she raised her left leg and struck. Dean howled as she kicked his knee, successfully knocking him onto his ass. "Christ! You crazy assed –"

"I'm the crazy one?" She asked standing over him. "Maybe I was when I first met you, but I sure as hell am not falling for it again."

"Wait!" He shouted as she retracted her leg again. She stopped and he caught her foot and yanked. Jo fell back onto her ass with a thud. He was on her in seconds, his hands on her shoulders and sitting on her stomach. "Your sloppy Jo. You made it too easy."

"And you're an idiot, so lets call it even." She grunted underneath him.

"What's your problem?" He asked angrily.

"You are." She growled up at him. "You are always giving me a hard time about how I can do better and that I should stop running away but it's what you do all the time."

"I don't have any options Jo. You do. You have a future."

"And you did too until you selfishly threw it away."

"I didn't throw it away." He snarled at her and pushed off her. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"You'd like to think that wouldn't you?" She asked sitting up and watching him turn his back to her. "It'd make it easier to screw anything with a pair of tit's and a pretty smile. It'd be easier to keep giving up if you believed everyone had given up on you."

"So you're going to give me a lecture now?"

"No, I'm just not taking any of your crap anymore."

"When did you ever put up with my crap?"

"Duluth ring a bell?" Her face turned cold and she looked like she'd just sucked a lemon. She frowned at him. "I'll call you. Thanks for being bait again, thanks for dragging my ass out of the river, thanks for letting me treat you like some rag that can be discarded when I'm done with you."

"I didn't –"

"Yes. You did Dean." She reminded him. "You screwed me and then dumped me."

"I never touched you."

"Not physically, no. You couldn't even give me that." She stopped, red fluttering to her cheeks. "You where an asshole Dean but I let you do it because I knew that Sam's wellbeing was more important to you than anything."

"He's my brother. Of course his life is important."

"You think we are all blind, Dean?" She stood up and grabbed his arm and turned him around. "He can't live for you Dean. You can't keep making him do what you are terrified to do."

"I'm not terrified –"

"Yes you are." She gazed at him. "Demon's can smell the fear of you being alone from hell."

"Shut up, you don't know anything about it."

"I know more than you'd like to admit Dean Winchester."

"Yeah, well if you're so smart than how come you where possessed so easily?" He couldn't have hurt her more if he had of slapped her across the face. She recoiled from him physically agape, her eyes wide and swollen with hurt.

"I.." She stopped, her teeth clamping tightly down on her bottom lip. She turned away from him. Dean knew he'd gone too far.

"Jo, wait." He called out. "I was just-" He stopped himself._ 'I was lashing out because you hit the mark'_, he called out mentally in his head. He couldn't voice the words out loud so he watched her walk away instead. "Idiot." He swore at himself.

He leant against the workbench feeling exhausted. _'Why? Why do I let her get me so riled up?'_ He wondered looking at the empty soda bottle with a mixture of guilt and regret. _'She is just so…'_ His attention was ripped from his thoughts when he heard the distinctive sounds of his beloved Impala growling to life.

He heard the motor roar and he sprinted from the junkyard in time to see Jo hit the gas. The car fishtailed and if he wasn't so horrified he might have been impressed as she slid the car effortlessly around a tree before returning to the dirt road. The brakes lights barely flickered as she swept the car around the next bend before disappearing down the driveway.

"Dean, what is God's name is going on out there?!?!" Bobby shouted furiously barrelling out of the house. "What did you do?"

"Nothing." Dean protested still staring down the driveway hoping to see his black saviour return. "We just had an arguments is all." He answered vaguely.

"Damit Dean." Bobby swore. He took his baseball cap off, a clear indication that Bobby was at his whits end, and rubbed the bridge of his head. "I just don't know what to do with you sometimes."

"She took my car, Bobby." Dean complained softly, turning to Bobby with worried eyes.

Bobby tried not to laugh at the look on Dean's face and grabbed him firmly by the arm. "Come on, we might as well wait until Ellen gets back before we send a search party for her."

"Do you think she'll be ok?" Dean asked worriedly, still staring down the drive.

"Dean, you better be talking about Jo if you know what's good for you." Bobby warned him and pushed Dean into the house roughly.

*********************************************

"Joanna Beth!"

Jo looked up startled as she spotted her mother marching across the car park. Sitting up quickly, she slid off the Impala bonnet she had been lying on and rushed to hide the cigarette in her hand. She dropped it behind her, stepping back with her heel to squash it. "Mom. Hi."

"Don't you hi me." Ellen snarled coming to stop in front of her daughter with her hands on her hips. "You better be possessed because I know a Winchester would never give you their car 'cos you asked nicely." Her mother narrowed her eyes expectantly at her.

"I'm gonna bring it back, mom." Jo defended. "I'm just teaching him a lesson is all."

Ellen stared at her unimpressed. "You stole it from under Dean?" She demanded. Jo nodded feeling embarrassed and looking down at her feet. "Have you damaged it in any way?"

"No." Jo snipped crossing her arms petulantly. "I'm not that big of an idiot."

"Good." Ellen commented. "Last thing I need is that kid bitching in my ear about his car. He already whines enough as it is."

"Mom?" Jo laughed surprised.

"Well come on, we might as well go for a decent joy ride while we have the chance." Ellen declared passing her daughter and pulling the passengers door open.

Jo whirled around to face her grinning mother and raised her eyebrows. Ellen was to busy snooping in the glove compartment to notice her startled expression. "Mom I don't think I've told you recently how much I love you."

"Can it." Ellen quipped pulling a face at the metallica mix tape and tossing it in the back seat. "Less chit chat and more of the driving. Ah.. here we go." Jo hurried into the car and started it back up as her mother pulled out a dusty tape. "Knew that kid had a soft spot for R.E.O."

"He has a R.E.O Speedwagon tape?" Jo spluttered with a grin.

Ellen nodded, shoving the tape into the tape deck. "Best of." Winding down the window, Ellen let out a sigh and laid back in her seat and propped her boots up on the dashboard. "Now be a good girl and take you mamma for a decent drive."

*********************************

Dean jumped to his feet when he heard crunching gravel under tyres and raced to the front door. He was disappointed when he realised it was only Ellen arriving in Bobby's truck. The truck disappeared around the side of the house and the brakes whined as it came to a stop. Dean sighed and slumped off to help her carry the groceries inside.

Before he had a chance to interrogate her, he heard his answer crawling up the drive. Ellen shoved four bags of groceries at him, successfully stopping him from running over to the Impala. One look from Ellen and he quickly rushed inside to dump the food on the table. He jostled past Ellen, ignoring her glare, and back ran outside.

Jo was already pulling the car cover back over the Impala. He stopped, his relief evident, but unsure how to approach Jo. He needn't have bothered, because she seemed uninterested in him as she tossed the keys at him. Wordlessly she headed inside.

Dean waited until the door closed behind her, before rushing over to the car and peeking under the cover to inspect for bumps and scratches. He was oblivious to the laughter inside while running his hand over the car affectionately.

"Did she hurt you?" He asked the car in a soft voice. "I'm sorry that I put you in danger. I promise to hide my keys from now on." With a final careful look at his car he headed inside to face the culprit.

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	10. Chapter 10

**Rating:** M (for sexual situations)

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'**Not my Fantasy'**

Later that night, when everyone had gone to bed, Dean sat on the porch alone with his thoughts and a beer. His keys hidden safely away, he relaxed against the porch steps looking up at the sky. Not a star could be seen through the thick clouds that had been mounting since dinner. He could smell the threat of rain in the air and knew a storm was upon them.

With a sigh, Dean stood up and headed inside. He locked the door behind him and switched off the hallway light and was about to head into the kitchen when he spotted a skinny shadow disappearing down the stairs. He hesitated at the kitchen door, smiling at the sight before him.

Dressed in only a tank top and a pair of black panties Jo stood in front of the fridge drinking milk from the carton. As she drank silently, her left leg lifted to scratch the back of her right calf. She paused and lowered the milk, folding the lid back and putting it back in the fridge. She turned around and jumped when she realised Dean was watching her.

"Busted." She muttered.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked her amused. He took in the rare sight of her dishevelled hair and bare legs and couldn't help but feel a distant tug of attraction.

"I used to love storms." She confessed pointing out the window. A fork of lightning split the clouds in half with a pink hue. The window rattled as thunder barrelled across the sky. "But now they make me nervous."

"Can't say I blame you." He sympathised.

"Sam told me that both of you had a vision about what happened?"

Dean winced at the word vision and lent against the wall casually. "More like a dream really." He admitted.

"You dreamt about me?" She teased changing the subject.

"Yeah. So?" He looked at her suspiciously.

"Have you dreamt about me before?" She asked walking towards him slowly. He stood up straighter and glanced around the room uneasy before answering.

"Maybe."

"Did I ever look like this in your dreams?" Before he could answer she crossed her arms and lifted the tank top up and off her body. She stood before him confidently, her breast rising and falling with every breath.

"Jo I –" He shuttered unable to tear his hungry eyes away from her.

She appeared to revel in his gaze and took a step closer to him until her bare breast were gently skimming his own chest. She looked up at him through hooded eyes and licked her lips. "I want you Dean." She told him and ran her warm fingers under his shirt. His stomach clenched in instinct as her fingers slithered across his abs and pecs. "Don't you want me?"

He swallowed nervously feeling his body betray him by hardening against her leg. His eyes skittered around the kitchen nervously trying to avoid her seductive eyes and warm breasts now pressed against him. "I… I…"

"I know you want me, Dean."

She whispered and her hand had somehow snaked up his neck and her fingers ran through his hair. His own hand, acting by their own accord, pulled her closer to him as he lowered his head. She stood on tiptoe and captured his lips with her own. He moaned against her mouth as her hands drifted down to his ass and pulled him tighter.

"Don't fight it." She whispered through gasps of air. She kissed her way to his neck and found the sweet spot that always made him moan for more. He barely noticed when she tugged his t-shirt over his head. Her finger nails gently scratched his nipple while her teeth closed over his earlobe. She sucked ever so gently.

Instinct begged him to grab her and take her to the nearest flat surface but his mind duelled for control. "Wait… Jo…"

"No more waiting, Dean." She told him through hooded eyes. "There's never going to be a better time."

He looked down at her unsure. _'Dean resist!'_ his mind screamed at him to stop. _'What are you doing? Bobby and Ellen are only upstairs.' _This fact only served to punish him by eliciting the excitement of danger in his body.

"Dean… yes..." She gasped out as his lips found her neck and left a fiery path down her throat. Her nails raked across his back and she moaned loudly as his soft lips found her breasts. His other hand pulled her up and her legs wound around his waist instantly.

Walking them back towards the fridge he pinned her against it as she writhed in pleasure. He smiled against her breast as she whispered his name. "Dean." She moaned again and his hand crept from her breast and wound its way in between her legs. Her legs dropped from his waist and opened as his hand sought entry.

"Dean."

"So wet…" He moaned as the warm wet juices greeted his probing fingers and he felt her tremble under his touch. He flicked her thumb back and forward and she grinded against his hand.

He watched riveted as her eyes fluttered and she bit her lip hard in ecstasy. His mouth continued to roam her shoulder and as he plunged two fingers inside of her, he gently bit her neck and sucked. The response was instant and she clenched around his fingers moaning his name in his ear.

Dean pulled back from her neck and began kissing her feverishly. Her hands were all over him and her hips began grinding sweetly against him. Before he could pull her closer she shoved him hard and his butt bumped into the table behind him. Her eyes dilated and pushed him back against the table. Jo roughly claimed his lips again and he felt her small hands shove his pants down to his knees. She pushed against him again and he fell back against the thankfully clear table. She yanked the boxers down his legs and before he could protest she was between his legs.

He moaned and his head fell back as her nails raked up the insides of his thighs. Goosebumps spread rapidly across his tense skin, igniting a tingle of excitement up and down his legs. His penis twitched standing up tall while her hands gathered his balls gently.

He moaned, breathless by the effect she was having on him. Her soft wet mouth ran over his length and she took his head into her mouth. A long guttered moan issued from his throat and he could barely contain himself as her tongue swept over and teased the very tip. Her hands gripped the base of his cock and pushed upwards.

Dean's eyes rolled backwards in ecstasy. Her strokes grew urgent and her tongue lashed against him until he yelped as he tried to resist the urge to let go. Sensing him hold back she stopped her stroking abruptly and pulled him to sit up. "I want you now." She commanded and he complied by pulling her to him roughly. Standing up he twirled them till she was the one against the table. Kissing her deeply he pushed her back gently.

Pulling her soaked panties off, he opened her legs gently and stood between them. Kneading her breasts with one hand, he worked his other hand over her stomach until he reached her mound. She opened her legs wider and he guided his penis inside her. Jo's back arched from the contact and he gripped her hips tightly as her warmth encased him.

At her moaning encouragement he began to slowly thrust it and out. Her hands came down to join his as her back arched with every deep thrust. Pleading for him to go deeper she released a cry as he slammed back into her.

Sweat broke out on his forehead as he tried to maintain the long slow thrusts until instinct drove him faster. She moaned his name as she balanced at the edge and as her heels drove into his back he came with her with a surprised cry.

Collapsing onto her stomach he placed sweet kisses on her sweaty skin as he gained his breath back. A satisfied smile crept across her face and her hands threaded through his hair. Dean let out happy sigh.

"Dean." Jo breathed wriggling underneath him. "Dean, get up."

"Huh?" He asked sleepily looking at her. When he saw Bobby's face instead of Jo's he jerked upwards. "What the hell?" He shouted.

Jo's body disappeared from under him and instead of the dimly lit kitchen he was looking up at the ceiling of his bedroom. Bobby's eyes peered at him curiously, his eyebrow rose in concern. Dean sat up from the floor noting that Sam was also sitting on the floor looking like he was going to be sick.

"Did you find them Bobby?." Ellen called entering the boy's bedroom. She shared a worried look with Bobby as Dean franticly pulled his blankets over the top of his legs to hide his erection.

"Are you boys alright? It sounded like elephants crashed through the room." Bobby asked concerned. Sam's assured them that they where fine and eventually Bobby left the room and shut the door behind him.

"Dude – what the hell?" Sam hissed once Bobby had left.

"Huh?" Dean asked climbing back onto his bed.

"I just had the most… oh… the worst vision I've ever had." Sam told him looking repulsed.

"What? More demons?" Dean asked scratching the back of his head.

"No." Sam hissed angrily. "You and Jo…" He lowered his voice and glared at his brother. "People have to eat off that table!"

Deans head cricked in protest as he whirled around to stare horrified at his brother. "You had the same dream as me?" He asked looking panicked.

"Nightmare is more my description." Sam informed him rubbing his temples. "I saw everything." He hissed angrily, his eyes wide. "Everything!!!"

"Well you shouldn't be spying on my dreams." Dean growled at him embarrassed and rolled over pulling his blankets tight.

"I'm never going to be able to look at Jo in the face again." Sam moaned climbing back into bed. "How could you man?"

"Firstly, keep your voice down." Dean hissed giving his brother a disgruntled look. "And secondly, I didn't 'do' anything." Dean insisted. "You're the perverse one dreaming about me having sex."

"Like I really want to see you… and Jo… it's as bad as walking in on your parents naked."

"You're such a prude, Sam." Dean teased.

"And you need to start taking cold showers before you go to bed." Sam lectured. "I'm never eating off that table again."

"Sam, settle down. Like you've never had a sex dream before?"

"Not about my brother and his girlfriend."

"Jo's not my girlfriend."

"Well tell that to your subconscious, Dean. Because what I just saw – no I can't discuss this any more. It's just too disturbing."

"Well stay out of my head."

"Then stop projecting your thoughts so much. I'm surprised Ellen can't hear them." Dean went quiet at Sam's mention of the protecting mother and rolled over with a huff.

"Don't you breathe a word of this to anyone, Sam." Dean threatened.

Sam snorted. "Trust me, I'm already regressing it." He assured him with a groan.

"Good."

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	11. Chapter 11

**Rating:** T

**Notes:** A big 'THANK YOU GUYS' for your awesome feedback, I love hearing you thoughts. You all totally made my week. I really hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

* * *

'**A Hunting we will go'**

"Morning." Ellen greeted them when the two brothers eventually headed downstairs the next morning. Bobby nodded at them and returned to the newspaper he was reading. "Pancakes?" Ellen offered, handing them an empty plate each.

"Please." Sam confirmed pulling out a chair next to Bobby and grabbing a coffee. "Any new demon activity in there, Bobby?" Sam asked referring to the newspaper. Dean avoided Ellen's eyes and awkwardly edged past her to get to his seat.

Bobby nodded and pulled out a section of the newspaper and handed it to Sam. It was a mass of red circles. "Two strange homicides, a possible poltergeist and something big munching on cattle at night."

"Great. Party season." Dean mumbled in between gulps of juice. He picked out a manila folder that was sitting under Bobby's newspapers. "Werewolf?"

"Leave that one. That's Jo's. She picked up on it first." Ellen interrupted dropping a stack of pancakes on top of Sam's plate. She handed him the syrup, missing Dean's reproachful look.

"You're letting her hunt a werewolf?" Dean asked incredulously.

"We need every hunter we've got Dean. It's mayhem out there." Bobby reminded him with a warning glare. "She can handle herself."

"But werewolves are so unpredictable." Dean complained flicking through the file. "Couldn't she do something smaller, like a poltergeist?"

"You wanna tell my daughter she can't hunt because you said so?" Ellen crossed her arms looking amused. "You've got a better chance of convincing her the sky is purple."

"But-" Dean tried to protest.

"I'm going with her, so untie your boxers Dean." Bobby told him with a disapproving frown. Dean shrugged knowing that the topic was no longer up for debate. Avoiding Bobby's glare he continued to sulk silently while eating his breakfast.

By the time they finished breakfast, Bobby's pick up truck came rumbling up the drive. Dean peered out of the kitchen window while washing his glass out and watched Jo reverse the truck beside the house. When she finished, she jumped out of the truck and began unloading the truck. Excusing himself, he went outside to help her with the bags.

He found her, hauling a few bags of ammunition and assorted other hunting materials, and offered his help. She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously but handed him a bag regardless.

"You know don't you?" She enquired handing him another bag and shutting the door with her hip. He followed her around to the back of the house.

"About you taking on a monster three times your size in a forest you've never been too? Yeah. Great. I'll break out the champagne." Dean replied sarcastically looking sour.

Jo stopped in her tracks, turning to glare at him. "Why do you have to be like that?" She asked him looking more annoyed than upset with him. "Why can't you just give me some advice and wish me luck?"

"You want some advice?" Dean asked dropping the heavy bags down on the porch. "Go back to school."

"Thanks a lot, Mom." Jo rolled her eyes. "Don't be an ass, Dean."

"What did you expect? That I'd pack your bag for you?" He reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of bullets and shook his head disapproving. "Sam and I have only recently dusted a werewolf and the poor girl didn't even know she was one. But we still had to kill her. They are savage animals Jo, unpredictable and it will tear you into strips if you make one wrong move."

"Bobby told me about San Francisco." Jo admitted in a quiet voice, looking apologetic. "Does Sam ever talk about it?"

"Don't change the subject." Dean hissed looking irritable as he sounded. "I don't think some one as inexperienced as you should go on a hunt this dangerous."

Jo sighed and put her bags down next to his. He raised his eyebrow having expected her to rant and rave at him. "I don't want to fight with you Dean." She told him sounding miserable. "It's repetitive and pointless. I don't tell you how to lead your life so you don't tell me how to lead mine."

"I'm not telling you how to lead your-"

She put up her hand to silence him. "Dean." She warned, wanting to finish before he started arguing. "I can't go to school and play miss everything is normal." She paused and shook her head frustrated. "I know what is out there, Dean. I'd rather be out there helping people, rather then sitting in some guys dorm room whose telling me he's gonna rock my world and act like my biggest problem is what I'm going to wear tomorrow."

"I never said you had act like an idiot at school." Dean pointed out.

"Yes, you did because that's what I'd be doing. That's what I've done." She explained with a heavy sigh. "I tried to be one of those girls Dean, and I hated it. I have hunter blood coursing through my veins. I'm not a little schoolgirl, Dean. Despite what you think, I am a hunter."

"I never said you where a school girl." Dean insisted throwing his hands up in the air. "Is it so awful that I don't want you to be killed? Am I that much of a bastard that wanting you and Sam to live long lives and be happy and have your own families is so terrible?"

"Maybe I don't want a family." Jo argued crossing her arms, trying to express her feelings clearly. "Maybe I don't want to bring a child into a world full of demons and things that will go bump in the night. I'm prepared to sacrifice that so that others may live and be safe."

Dean just stared at her, unable to voice what he was really thinking. Their argument was different from their normal spats. It wasn't full of anger and it was about trying to be the dominant one. Instead it was about truth and he found that more unsettling than anything she'd said to him in the last 48 hours. "It's not worth it."

"Huh?" Jo asked looking confused as he sat down on the porch next to her defeated.

"The sacrifice." He said softly. "It's not worth it." He sighed and avoiding her eyes. "There are days where I wish I could take it all back. Days when I'm knee high in innocent blood and we check into another seedy assed motel and I think how I'd give it all up for a wife and 2.5 kids."

"Really?" Jo looked at him stunned. "You want suburbia and a mini van?"

"No." He snorted. "I would never give up the Impala."

Jo rolled her eyes. "Figures. You'd give up your soul before your car." She paused and bit her lip mortified at what she had just said. "Sorry, that came out wrong."

Dean shook his head smiling. "It's true though."

"You know, you could have had those things." Jo pointed out trying to remain calm even as her heart started to beat faster. She tilted her head and looked at him thoughtfully. "To be honest, I thought if you ever did sell your soul you would of made sure you got the better deal."

"Yeah, well." He shrugged and tried not to look self-conscious. "I wasn't exactly thinking straight."

"It's a shame." She said patting his back and standing up. "If you put as much effort into bargaining for your life as you do trying to get into a girls pants, than you'd probably live to a hundred and fifty."

Dean looked at her bewildered. "You know Harvelle, you've got quite the mouth on you." He told her with a smirk.

She flashed him a sly smile and picked up the bags off the floor. "You have no idea Winchester. I could make you blush."

He stood up, enthralled by her change in attitude. Her eyes sparkled as she winked at him. "Oh really?" He asked stepping close enough to smell her perfume. She smelt like a field of wild flowers. "Is that so?" He challenged.

She nodded, turning until she stood directly in front of him. "I know I could." She countered running her tongue gently over her pink lips and looking up at him through her lashes. "I bet I could even put last night's dream to shame." With a wicked wink, she turned on her heel, swung open the door and headed inside.

Dean stood speechless, staring at the spot where she had been a second ago. His eyes flashed and he wrenched open the door angrily. "I am going to **kill** Sam." He muttered under his breath as he charged up the stairs to his brother's room.

****************************************

"Silver bullets."

"Check."

"Silver knife."

"Check."

"Rope and Chains."

"Check and Check."

"Excellent." Jo looked around the living room to see if she missed anything, while Bobby packed the last item into their bags. After a thorough inspection of the camping gear and riffles, they where now propped up against the wall ready for their departure. Adding the last box of ammunition to her overnight bag, she put her hands on her hips and smiled at Bobby. "Thanks again for coming with me."

"My pleasure. I haven't had to deal with a werewolf in years." Bobby assured her and let out a big yawn. "I'm hungry, you want something to eat?" Jo shook her head and started to check her bag again while Bobby headed into the kitchen.

"You all packed?" Dean asked entering the room.

"Yup." She answered with a grin. "We should really only be camping for a night, but just in case I've prepared for 3 nights."

"Good." Dean said with a nod. "A werewolf's reaction to the moon can be off sometimes, so it's best to be prepared."

"Well we're ready."

"You heading out first thing tomorrow?" He sat down on the couch and watched her drag her duffle bag over to the camping equipment.

"Yeah, before dawn." Jo answered distracted and stood with her hands on her hips surveying the equipment. "I'm a morning person anyway, so it doesn't worry me."

"Lucky you. Sam's like a bear with a sore head in the morning. He's fine on a hunt but when we're finished it best to leave him alone unless you've got plenty of weaponry in the form of coffee." Dean joked trying to remain casual. He watched her check her riffle again and suppressed the urge to tell her he'd already secretly checked every piece of weaponry the night before.

Jo smiled as she ejected the chamber and examined it in the light. "Speaking of which, is he still upstairs?"

Dean nodded trying to look innocent. "Sam is having a little lie down. He isn't feeling very well."

Jo chuckled, looking at him amused. "Is that before or after you beat him up?" Dean didn't answer her, but his smug grin said it all. Jo shook her head and finally put the riffle down. "All right, seems like we got everything."

"Not everything." Dean stood up and started to rummage around in his pocket. She looked at him curiously, waiting until he pulled out a little black felt bag.

"What's that?" She asked trying to peer over his hands and into the bag.

He undid the drawstrings and tipped the bag upside down. "I thought you might need this." He opened his hand to reveal a silver chain with an odd looking charm on the end. It was square in shape and intricate links wound around themselves like vines.

Jo picked it up slowly and examined the charm. "It's beautiful." She gasped running her hands over the silver links and traced its design.

Dean shrugged, trying to look unconcerned. "You can never have enough protection charms, especially when you're unexperienced." Jo ignored the forced insult and surprised him by standing on her tip toes and kissing him quickly on the cheek. He stiffened as soon as her lips touched his cheek and scratched the back of his head nervously. "It's just a charm. Bobby always gives us charms." Dean protested lamely.

"Thank you." She said and started to undo the clasp so that she could put it on. "Do you mind?" She asked him, handing him the necklace and turning around. She lifted her hair up from her neck, leaving it exposed to him.

Dean swallowed nervously and lifted the necklace to put it on. He ignored the sweet flowery scent that drifted from her neck as he bent to latch the clasp. When he was done he stepped back from her. Jo turned around and lifted the necklace to examine it again.

"I've got to um check on dinner." He mumbled to her and walked out of the room hastily. Jo looked up from her necklace and smiled happily. Dean had already disappeared but she could hear her mother trying to shoo him away from her roast.

"I saw that Dean!"

"Saw what?"

"Drop the potatoes."

"Just one?"

"Out!"

"Oh, come on Ellen. I'm starving."

"Out!!!"

..............


	12. Chapter 12

**Rating:** T

**Notes:** Big Thanks for the reviews so far, please keep 'em coming :D

* * *

'**Werewolf Season'**

"You ready?"

Jo nodded to Bobby and picked up her bag. Following him outside, she put her bag beside the camping gear in the back of the truck. She looked up at the morning sky. It was still dark enough to see a few stars, but the sky was rapidly changing colours in between the gathering clouds.

"Be good." Ellen came outside to see them off. Nursing her coffee against her chest, she looked like she was trying not to cry. Jo smiled warmly at her mom and came over to the porch to give her a small comforting hug.

"I'll be fine, Mom." Jo assured her giving her a light squeeze. "I'll be back before you know it."

"You've got everything?" Ellen asked concerned. Jo rolled her eyes and nodded.

"See you soon, Ellen." Bobby called out and climbed into the truck. Jo smiled again at her mom and bounced off to the truck and climbed in. As she did her seat belt up, she looked up through the windscreen at the bedroom window above them. She gave Dean a smile when she realised it was him

standing at the window watching them.

He shook his head at her but returned the smile. "I think that's his way of saying 'Good Luck'." Bobby told her with a knowing smile and started the truck up. Jo grinned happily and fingered the necklace around her neck.

"How far to the campsite?" Jo asked trying to distract herself from Dean's stare as they pulled away from the house.

"'Bout six hours." Bobby explained and turned onto the main road. "We'll hit the site by ten as long as the weather doesn't change on us."

"Excellent."

******************************************

Jo crouched down as low as she could behind the broken tree stump. Not two feet from where she was kneeling was her prey. Rummaging through the abandoned campsite, a grotesque looking werewolf walked on its hind legs towards the blue sleeping bag she had stuffed with meat.

The shaggy grey haired beast, Jo realised, seemed suspicious of the bag and continued to sniff the air repeatedly. She bit her lip, hoping the werewolf would take the bait. The beast bent over, it's elongated claws scratching at the dirt around the sleeping bag before pushing its snout against the sleeping bag.

Jo tightened her grip on her rifle. She was sure this was the thing the local newspapers had reported as the cause of the missing scout group. They had found human bones and shredded clothing as evidence around the area of the scouts abandoned campsite.

After fanning out around the campsite, Bobby had found some strange tracks and the two hunters set about tracking it immediately. Their search had lasted all day with no sightings and disappointed they had eventually found their way back to the camp to set up traps.

Jo stayed in her hiding spot, poised, her legs cramping now after such a long wait. She didn't dare move. The beasts left ear twitched and she watched fascinated as the ear turned a full 180 degrees before returning back to its original position. It lowered its head back down to the sleeping bag and began ripping back the material.

Jo scanned the clearing until she could see Bobby, his own riffle poised and ready. The werewolf began to shred the material frustrated, trying to reach the meat it desired until finally its snout closed over its prize. The trap was triggered.

Howling with fury the werewolf stumbled backwards seconds before the trap slammed down through its skull. Jo fired and pierced the werewolf's heart successfully. Bobby fired a secondary shot to its heart to be sure and the werewolf slumped to the forest floor.

Jo scrambled out from the tree stump and ran over to the fallen werewolf. Still keeping her gun trained on the now dead beast, she examined it carefully. "We got it Bobby." She told him looking up victoriously.

Bobby was gone.

A far away howl in the distance caused Jo to freeze. "Bobby?" Her eyes scanned the surrounding tree line for any kind of a disturbance. A rustling sound behind her caught her off guard and she whirled around, her gun raised, ready to fire.

Before she could fire, something large and brown lunged at her. A second werewolf, much bigger than the first, shoved her to the ground painfully. Jo screamed, ducking her head in time as it attempted to snap at her neck. It's claws dug in to her arms as it hovered about her, sniffing the air around her. Jo tried to move, but the beasts weight kept her pinned to the ground.

Hot saliva dribbled from its jaw onto her throat. She bit her lip to stop herself from screaming as it lowered it's head and began sniffing her hair. It's blood mattered fur scratched her face as it swept its jaw along her throat.

A shot fired.

The creature shuddered and shoved Jo aside while it leapt off her. Bobby hollered for her to get out of the way as he reloaded his riffle. The werewolf barrelled towards him with a furious roar. Jo screamed in warning as it ploughed into Bobby. The werewolf's roars smothered Bobby's screams as it bit down on his shoulder.

Jo searched the clearing for her discarded gun. Bobby's cries filled the forest as he fought the werewolf uselessly. Jo spotted her riffle by the dead werewolf and lunged for it. The werewolf was oblivious as she swept up the gun and fired.

The werewolf dropped Bobby instantly. Jo fired again. The werewolf howled in pain and started to limp towards her. Jo fired one last time. Silver imbedded the werewolf's chest and it collapsed a foot away from the other werewolf.

Jo stood frozen, unsure whether the beast was really dead. She waited. Her heart hammering in her chest, she waited for the werewolf to move. Keeping her gun raised she crept slowly around the beast. When she was certain it really was dead she hurried to Bobby's side. She gasped at the extent of his wounds. A long claw mark stretched across his face while blood gushed angrily from two gaping wounds in his shoulder and chest.

"Oh God, Bobby." Jo moaned her shaking fingers touching his head gently.

"Joanna." Bobby gasped, his face etched in pain. "Did you get it?" He croaked.

"I got it." She promised him pulling off her jacket and attempting to stem the bleeding on his chest. "Don't move, Bobby. I'll get help." She bolted to her hidden bag in the tree trunk and wrenched it out. Tearing open the zipper, she pulled out the first aid kid and her cell phone.

Running back to Bobby she ripped open the bandages and quickly applied them to the biggest wounds. The blood engulfed the bandages so quickly she was forced to throw them aside and grabbed new ones.

"You did good, Jo." Bobby chocked out touching her hand. His eyelids began to droop dangerously.

"Bobby? Bobby, please stay with me." She begged through tears, putting pressure to the wounds. She knew his wounds where too bad for her meagre first aid kit but she tried to stem the blood flow regardless. To her dismay, his eyelids slid shut.

Blood started to seep through the bandages and was now dribbling over her fingers. Holding back the tears, she pulled her sweater off and applied it over the bandages. Shivering in just her tank top, she touched his face, trying to search for a pulse amongst the blood.

Whipping one hand on her jeans she grabbed her cell phone from next to the kit. As Jo dialled she kept one hand firmly on the wound. Tucking the phone in between her head and shoulder, she applied pressure to the other wound, trying not to sob as blood still continued to flow freely.

The phone crackled in the low reception range but she could hear the phone ringing softly. "Come on." She begged until she finally heard a break in the reception. "Dean?" She shouted and tried not to cry when she heard his faint voice. "Dean… I need your help… oh God Bobby's hurt bad… please hurry."

....................


	13. Chapter 13

**Rating:** T

**Notes:** A HUGE thank you to everyone for their feedback and to Hannah for being a super quick beta. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and the next :D

* * *

'**Healer'**

Dean was just replacing the fuel cap to the Impala when he heard his phone ring. The sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that he had been wrestling with all morning intensified. He threw open the door and grabbed his phone. "Jo?" He asked noting the caller Id. "I can't hear you….what?... slow down…where are you?" He glanced around the gas station for his brother while trying to hear past the static on the other end. "Bobby's hurt?" He shouted moving around his car to get a better signal. "Are you ok?... Jo?...." The phone cut out and he swore.

Grabbing his wallet he dashed inside to pay for the gas and search for his brother. Inside he threw more money then required for the gas and ran out of the store. Rounding the side of the building he found Sam slumped against the door of the men's toilets.

"Sammy!" He shouted rushing to his brother's side. He pulled him to his feet noting the tears streaming down his face. "Sam, what happened?"

"Jo." He gasped squinting as a vision took hold of his mind. Dean didn't have time to dwell on why he wasn't sharing the vision with his brother. Instead he hauled his brother to the car and sat him inside. "Bobby is hurt bad." Sam gasped out.

"The werewolf?" Dean asked shutting the door and running to the drivers side. Before he could question his brother further his phone started ringing again. "Jo?" He asked when he heard static answer him.

".. not breathing… so much blood."

"Give me the phone. You drive." Sam ordered reaching for the phone. Dean stared at him incredulously, but handed the phone over. "Jo. It's Sam." There was a pause and his brother was massaging his temple. Dean started the car up with a glance at Sam and speed off to the forest that Jo and Bobby where hunting in. "No. Jo, listen to me. You can help him."

Dean raised his eyebrows questioningly. Sam was struggling to keep calm, but he could tell his brother was panicking. "Sam, ask her how far into the forest they are."

Sam ignored him and resumed talking to Jo. "Jo… You can do this. I've seen you. Put you hands above the wound and think about healing the wound…. No…. Jo, you know you can do it!" Sam shouted.

"Sam." Dean warned casting a glance at Sam before putting his foot down on the gas.

Sam shot him a look. "Please Jo. Just try…. It'll be ok…. I know his lips are blue… just try to think of healing a specific wound." Dean waited as his brother went silent. He strained to hear what was going on.

The exit sign blurred past them and Dean took a hard right. Sam shot him a concerned look as the motion sent him crashing into the car door. After a couple of painfully silent seconds Dean heard Jo's voice.

"Has the blood stopped?" Sam enquired listening hard. He nodded his head unconsciously to her voice. "Okay now try his other wound. Dean and I are only an hour away…." Sam paused and lent forward to yank a map from the glove box. "I'll tell Dean. Just keep trying and we'll be there as soon as we can."

Sam hung up the phone and folded the map in half. Tracing a finger down the map he paused halfway down and held it up close to his face. "Okay I know where they are. There's an old fire trail we can take the Impala through. It's the fastest way to get to her."

"What's going on? Is Bobby alright?" Dean asked not even bothering with the brakes as they swept around a tight corner. Sam struggled to hold on and grunted as Dean took the next corner just as aggressively.

"He will be." Sam said rubbing his temples. "That vision was intense." He explained. "Didn't you see any of it?"

Dean shook his head. "No. Nothing. I got the call from Jo but the line cut off. I went looking for you and found you having a vision."

Sam closed his eyes. "Lucky you." He said in a depressed tone. "It wasn't pretty." He pointed to a weathered street sign on their left. "You need to take that road." Dean did as was instructed and waited for his brother to describe his visions. "A second werewolf snuck up on them, caught Jo by surprise. Bobby tried to distract it and it caught him. Tore him up really badly."

"Christ Bobby." Dean swore, his imagination giving him an image that made his stomach churn. He remembered how savage a werewolf could be during a kill. He hadn't been joking when he told Jo a werewolf could strip her apart.

"But my vision suddenly changed and I saw her healing him. Just like when we pulled the Hanlkora anchor out of her." Sam folded the map again and pointed out the next road Dean needed to take. "But Bobby's lost a lot of blood so we need to get to him fast."

"I'm on it." Dean assured him and continued to speed along the dirt road.

*********************************

Jo tried to dial Dean's cell again, but to no avail. The blue hue that had tinted Bobby's lips earlier has dissolved and the bleeding in his chest and shoulder had stopped, but he was still pale. Jo didn't know what to do. She had followed Sam's instruction and had placed her hands over the wounds until she felt like someone was pulling at her insides. Her hands had begun to itch and burn and then it all changed. She felt warm and she felt a magnetic tug towards Bobby's wound. Jo had watched amazed as the massive wound slowly began to heal and pull its self together.

At first she had been hesitant to pull her bloodied shirt away from the other wound, but she did as Sam had instructed and covered his wound with her shaking hands. By the time she finished with his shoulder wound she had thrown up from the effort. Checking his pulse she was relieved it was still there, but it was not strong and he was still unconscious.

She pulled his sleeping bag around him and tried to keep him warm. It was the only thing she knew she could do until help arrived. She glared at the dead werewolf's in front of her. Their newly dead corpses had already started to smell. Jo screwed her face up and looked away.

It was starting to get dark.

The clouds that had been threatening in the distance all day were now upon them. Jo feared that even if Sam and Dean got to the trail in time it would be too dark to find them. But she refused to leave Bobby's side, even if it was to try and meet them at the bottom of the trail. A part of her brain suggested that a fire would keep him warm, but she brushed it aside with the thoughts of rain and decided to stay where she was.

She checked the time again. It had already been an hour. The scratch across Bobby's face had stopped bleeding but looked painful. Slowly, she raised her shaking hands. Her heart began to beat faster and her hands burned. She felt a wave of dizziness wash over her and closed her eyes and pushed it away. Jo felt the same magnetic pull towards his wound and gave in to the warmth encasing her. She swallowed, her throat becoming dry and her arms began to shake.

Jo fought to stay conscious, but it was no use. Her vision blurred even as she dropped her hands. It was too hot. She swallowed and tried to keep her eyes open. She barely made a sound when the ground rushed to greet her head and she collapsed beside Bobby.

Bobby moaned.

*******************************

"Wait! Dean, over there!"

Jo blinked. Sitting up she looked around the dimly lit forest confused. She could hear voices in the distance. She sat up straighter, looking around the clearing.

"Holy Shit! Look at the size of that thing." She heard Dean exclaim.

"Dean?" She called standing up on shaky legs. She spotted the beam from his flashlight first and then saw him rushing around the dead werewolves. His eyes widened as he took in her bloodied appearance.

"Are you alright?" He asked her grabbing hold of her anxiously. The tears she had managed to keep back all this time stung her eyes. All she could do was nod. She tugged his arm and pulled him towards Bobby. "Sam!" Dean shouted still holding onto Jo's elbow.

"I tried…" Jo started trying to explain. "I don't know if I helped." She apologised. Sam dropped to his knees beside Bobby. He unzipped the sleeping back and searched for a pulse.

"It's there, but he needs to get to a hospital now." Sam confirmed looking up at Dean.

"Are you right to walk?" Dean asked her looking anxious.

Jo nodded and stepped back so that Sam could zip up the sleeping bag. Taking one end, Dean waited for Sam to take the other end and they lifted Bobby up. Jo picked up the discarded riffles and her bag and trailed after them. They where much quicker then her and it was no surprise to her that they had already laid Bobby out in back seat by the time she stumbled down the end of the track.

"Here, drink this." Sam offered putting a water bottle to her hands.

"Are you sure you're not hurt?" Dean asked shrugging out of his jacket and wrapping it around her bare arms. "God, you're freezing." He rubbed his hands up and down her arms to get her circulation going. "Sam, turn the heat on." Dean pulled her into the front seat while Sam got in the back and put Bobby's head in his lap.

Jo sat numbly clutching the bottle of water to her chest. Dean cast a worried glance over his shoulder at Bobby before hitting the gas. He sped nosily out of the forest. Jo remained still. She could barely hear Dean's concerned voice as she closed her eyes and within seconds had slumped against the window.

.....................


	14. Chapter 14

**Rating:** T

**Notes:** This chapter is a lot longer and one of my favorites, so I hope everyone enjoys it. Thanks to everyone for their encouragement - I love reading your thoughts on what you think should happen next and what you liked. You guys are awesome!

* * *

'**Deal Breaker'**

Sam noticed a familiar brunette in jeans down the hall while waiting for his coffee. He called out to her and waited while she excused herself from a nurse and hurried towards Sam.

"Where is she? Is she ok?" Ellen quizzed looking fraught with worry. "What about Bobby, is he alright?"

Sam nodded pulling his coffee out from the vending machine. "Bobby's fine." He assured her leading her to the room. "He lost a lot of blood but they where able to give him some blood transfusions right away. The rest is all superficial scratches." Sam explained and stopped her in front of Bobby's room. "He's still a little bit out of it though."

Ellen nodded and followed Sam into the hospital room. Bobby had his eyes closed, but there was a dopey smile on his face. Sam smirked, shaking his head at the relaxed state of the older hunter. Ellen was oblivious though as she walked towards the bed next to Bobby's.

Dean sat ingrossed with the TV screen, while Jo slept soundly, curled up with her head resting in his lap. Dean's jacket was sprawled over her like a blanket and his hand was resting protectively over her shoulder.

"How's she going?" Ellen whispered bending down to examine Jo's face.

"Bit shaken, but mostly exhausted." Dean whispered back not taking his eyes off the football game on the TV.

The doctor entered the room and smiled kindly at her. "I take it you're Roberts sister, Ellen?" He asked tucking a pen into his pocket and pulling out Bobby's chart.

"Ah, yes. His sister." Ellen confirmed sending Sam a questioning look. "How is he?"

"He's reacting well to the extra fluid and transfusions we've given him so far. Though I must insist that it was a good thing your nephews brought him in when they did." He nodded at Sam and Dean with beaming eyes. "I looked over your daughter too. She's fine. Just suffering shock and a little dehydration. She'll be fine after a good night's rest."

"I'll make sure she gets it." Ellen promised the doctor. She escorted the doctor outside while he explained the medication Bobby needed to take for the next week.

Sam sipped his coffee and returned to his newspaper. After a couple of minutes of scanning the headlines he grew tired and looked towards his brother for a distraction. He was surprised, and amused, to see that Dean was running a hand through Jo's long blonde hair while still watching the TV.

Sam glanced outside; Ellen was still talking to the doctor and appeared to not have noticed the tender scene. He glanced back quickly to his brother, fascinated by the rare display of affection. A stray hair escaped his fingers and she stirred. Instead of awaking, she pulled her knees up tighter and nuzzled into his legs. Dean tore his gaze away from the screen and looked down. Capturing the stray hair, he swept it back with the others and gently stroked her forehead. Her frown lines dissolved under his touch and she let out a deep sigh.

Dean continued to comb more of her hair back until he looked up and caught Sam's eye. Sam grinned smugly, trying his best not to laugh when Dean glared at him. Over the top of his newspaper he spied Dean looking back to the TV and moving his hand back to her shoulder. Sam shook his head disappointed but continued to sneak a glance over at the couple every couple of minutes.

Sam couldn't deny that he was now interested in what this development would mean for his brother.

While Bobby remained hooked up to an IV in the hospital the others decided to head back to Bobby's house. Dean offered to take Jo in the Impala so she could sleep in the backseat, while Sam went with Ellen in her truck.

After a few minutes of polite conversation Sam couldn't resist asking a few questions while he had the chance. "Ellen?" He started nervously.

"Yeah?" She asked sounding tired. Her eyes never left the road and she kept a firm eye on the Impala in front of them.

"How long has Jo had her abilities?"

Ellen remained silent, but her face was a multitude of emotions. Finally she let out a deep sigh and glanced at him quickly. "I suppose you've seen too much now and it's pointless to try and deny it?" She asked him hopefully. Sam nodded and she ran a tired hand through her hair. "How do we keep getting into these messes?" She asked herself.

"Is she like me?" Sam asked quietly.

"Ash certainly seemed to think so." Ellen recalled. "He begged me to tell you both when Dean told us about your visions." She gave him an apologetic smile. "You have to understand Sam, we've been keeping her secret since she was four. I was so worried the wrong people would find out and well, I'm a mother. It's my job to worry."

"How did you find out?" Sam asked curiously.

"I was serving at the bar and Bill," She paused and followed Dean as he turned off at an exit. "He was supposed to be watching her. He had just gotten back from a hunt and had fallen asleep on the couch. Somehow Jo got into his locked box of guns. And then I heard this gun go off and I knew. Call it mothers intuition, call it whatever, but I knew. I ran upstairs and found Bill. He had something in his hand and…" Ellen sniffed and went quiet.

Sam placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "It must have been terrible."

"You have no idea." She told him. "I was furious with Bill. I said so many horrible things. I was devastated. I wasn't thinking straight. I remembered a hunter talking about crossroad demons and how they could bring people back to life." She glanced at Sam and turned back to the windscreen. "Grief can make people do crazy things, Sam. Reason doesn't stand a chance."

"So you made a deal?"

Ellen nodded. "I didn't know that while I took off, Bill thought he was loosing his mind when Jo reached up and wiped away his tears." She let out a huff. "The demon had known though and was amused by my deal. She was so quick to tell me she'd bring Jo back to life and that she would take something of mine soon."

"You didn't know she'd take Bill?"

"Of course I didn't!" Ellen exclaimed. "I would have never made the deal. But she made it sound like she'd just take my home and some stupid possessions." She shook her head. "We were so stupid. I got home and saw Jo alive and told Bill what I had done. He was furious of course but as soon as Jo had given him a hug he stopped shouting. We all assumed that the demon had brought her back to life."

"So how did you figure it out?"

"It wasn't until we met Ash. Bill had been dead a long time and Jo was in her early teens. A real smart ass too. And into everything she could get her hands on. I caught her out the back with Ash making their own petrol bombs." She snorted. "Idiots."

"It exploded on them?" Sam asked surprised.

"Yup. Jo threw herself in front of Ash and caught the brunt of the explosion. When the smoke cleared Ash and I where shocked to see she was fine. I think she was just as shocked as us. It was Ash that forced her to keep silent about her abilities. He said he'd heard about a kid who could manipulate electricity and the kid had been sent off the some government research facility. No one heard from him again." Ellen slowed down when Dean indicated he was pulling over for gas. "It was enough to scare us all in to keeping it a secret."

"And Jo never tried to figure out where her abilities came from?" Sam asked shocked.

Ellen shook her head. "She's very sensitive about it. She thinks there is something wrong with her and that if she couldn't have saved her father than it was useless."

"So tonight was the first time she's ever healed anyone?"

Ellen nodded and pulled the truck in behind Dean. She climbed out and checked on Jo, who was still fast asleep in the back seat, while Sam refuelled the truck for Ellen.

"You alright, Sammy?" Dean called out seeing the pensive look on his brother's face.

"Fine." Sam answered half-heartedly. His mind was racing with what Ellen had just told him. Waiting for the gas tank to fill he watched his brother open the impala boot and rummage around.

The gas tank finally clicked, indicating it was full. Sam ignored it, continuing to watch his brother open the backseat door. He noticed Dean was carrying a blanket and a bunched up jacket. Sam spied Dean shake out the blanket before reaching into the Impala and gently laying the blanket over Jo's sleeping form.

When he couldn't see Dean anymore Sam craned his neck until he could see Dean place the jacket gently under Jo's head. Dean eventually stood back, oblivious to his audience. He finally glanced over at them and Sam distracted himself with replacing the gas tank cap. When he turned back, Dean waved at him before climbing back into the drivers seat. He started the engine and gently pulled out of the gas station.

Ellen watched them leave before turning to Sam with a smile. "Your brother must think I was born yesterday." She joked and Sam couldn't hide his grin. "He's kidding himself if he thinks I don't know what's going on between them two."

Sam tried his best to look innocent and shrugged. Ellen just laughed in response when Sam hurried off to pay for gas.

*******************************

Two weeks had passed since the werewolf incident. After a couple of days of helping Bobby around the house the Winchester's headed off to resume their own hunt. Jo said nothing about heading off for another hunt, which secretly pleased her mother, but looked longingly at her inbox when she read an update from Sam.

Unbeknownst to his brother, Sam gave Jo a weekly update on what they were doing and where they were heading. Jo only replied when she thought she had useful information to provide, but mostly stayed silent. When she wasn't doing research, she spent the rest of the time trying to put some order to Bobby's book collection.

Having sorted each room into categories, she had gone to work on trying to put them in some kind of order. Bobby had been blown away when she presented him with a book catalogue on his computer. It was while entering a description of one such book that Jo found something interesting. Shoving the book into her jacket, Jo waited until everyone had gone to bed before she pulled it out.

She was now sleeping in Dean's bed and after shoving a blanket under the door she turned on a lamp and started reading._ 'A guide to Myths and Legends in North America: Crossroads'_

Jo flipped through the pages hungrily. Pages of accounts and references to crossroad demons tumbled through her brain. Images and warnings seared to her memory. At last she came across a paragraph that made her heart beat faster. '… Crossroad demons are notorious for their quick wit and keen sense of knowledge of their victims biggest desires. Once a deal is made it cannot be broken. It is final. However, just like with other reputable demons (see _Beelzebub_ or the _devil_) deals can be renegotiated, making the original deal null and void. A counter offer must be offered and it's value must be higher then the original deal.'

Jo looked up from the book. "Its value must be higher." She murmured to herself. "But what's more valuable than Dean's soul?"

Outside a cricket was chirping loudly. She bit her lip deep in thought. Another cricket answered the first cricket. Within seconds several other crickets began to chorus with the first cricket. Jo narrowed her eyes. Suddenly an idea struck her. She gasped with excitement. "That's it!" She exclaimed and turned back to the book. Re-reading the first paragraph she was certain she had the right idea.

In excitement she snatched her laptop off Sam's bed and quickly booted it up. Within seconds she logged into her computer and opened her inbox. Her fingers shook with excitement and she couldn't stop the smile splitting her face.

_**'Sam,'**_

She started typing.

_**'I've got it!!! Tell Dean to stop running – I've found a way to fix all our problems. I've come up with a deal they can't refuse!**_

_**Talk to you soon,**_

_**Jo'**_

She quickly hit send and waited until the icon notified her that it had been sent successfully. Logging onto the internet she started to research where she could get her supplies and how long it would take.

By the time the sun emerged on the horizon she had her bag packed and a shopping list tucked in her jeans. A quick cryptic note to her mother and she slipped out of the house. She grinned as she started up Bobby's truck.

"Don't worry Dean." She said to herself while backing the truck down the drive. "This time tomorrow you'll be a free man." With that she shoved the truck into first gear and roared off to town.

********************************

"Dude, that poltergeist was one nasty piece of work." Dean declared throwing himself face first down on the motel bed. Covered in dirt from having to dig out a grave, he ignored Sam's disgruntled moan and continued to spread dirt all over Sam's bed. "I feel like I could sleep for a week."

"You weren't the one being suspended upside down from a ceiling." Sam reminded him. "I thought for sure I was going break my neck when it crossed over."

"You mean when I blasted it back to the hell it snuck out of?" Dean corrected him raising himself onto his elbows. "What are you doing now?" He asked watching Sam pull out his laptop and boot it up.

"Just checking my emails."

"You've been doing that a lot lately. You're really looking at porn aren't you?" Dean teased grinning.

"Speaking of porn." Sam commented trying to seem unconcerned. "Are you going out tonight? That girl did offer to buy you a drink."

Dean raised his eyebrows and rolled over so he could pull off his shoes. "Who? That Sasha chick?" He asked untying his laces. "Nah. Not my type."

"Since when do you have a type?" Sam asked surprised. "I thought 'female' was you're type."

"What can I say?" Dean said with a shrug. "I'm getting picky in my old age." He looked at his brother when Sam didn't respond. "What?" He asked rising from the bed to look at the screen.

"Nothing." Sam insisted and slammed the lid shut on his computer. A smile crept over his features before quickly slipping into a blank stare as Dean advanced towards him. "Why don't you have first dibs on the shower while I make a call?"

Dean raised his eyebrows suspiciously. However at the mention of a hot shower he looked distracted. "You are getting weirder by the day, Sammy." Dean told him, but left the room regardless.

Sam waited until the taps turned on before he pulled out his phone and made a dash for the door. He quickly slipped outside dialling Jo's number excitedly.

Dean heard the motel door shut and opened the bathroom door. Peering around the room he saw there was no sign of his brother. With a glance at the running shower, he opened the door completely and strolled over to his brother's computer.

Lifting the lid he was disappointed to see that the screen only displayed Sam's email. Dean was about to shut the lid again when he saw a familiar name. Double clicking on Jo's name he opened the most recent email.

He read the email carefully. He growled. Sam waltzed happily through the door. "Dean-" His face fell when he saw Dean's expression.

"Did you put her up to this?" Dean accused in a tone he normally reserved for demons, especially those who tried to screw with him.

"No, Dean. I swear."

"Did you ring her and tell her she's out of her mind then?"

Sam bit his lip looking unsure. "No, I didn't-"

"You're encouraging her insanity?" Dean asked angrily.

"She's not insane, Dean." Sam tried to convince his brother, but Dean wouldn't hear of it.

He began to pace the room scrubbing his hand back and forth over his face. He stopped and swore. Turning to Sam he spoke. "Pack your bags, Sam. I'm going to pay for our room and when I get back the room better be empty."

"Dean-"

"No!" Dean barked, his eyes flashing. "I told you to leave it. You promised me you wouldn't try and get me out of this deal."

"It has nothing to do with me, Dean." Sam argued.

"Then why is she emailing you? How long has this being going on?" Dean questioned pointing to the laptop. "Why is she going on some wild goose chase? She's going to get herself killed Sam or worse."

"She's doing it because she loves you Dean."

"What?!?!" Dean exploded looking dangerously close to hitting something.

Sam hesitated, knowing it was not a good idea to trying to argue with his brother when he was this mad. Yet he couldn't help himself. He didn't want to hurt his brother, but his gut told him that Dean needed to finally admit how he felt about Jo. "And I think you love her too."

Dean threw his hands up in the air. He spluttered a couple of times, unable to get the right words out. Finally with no response he stormed towards the bathroom, shut the taps off violently and grabbed his toiletries. Tossing them on his bed he yanked out his duffle bag from under the bed and tossed it next to the toiletries.

"Dean I'm sorry-" Sam started.

"Don't say another word." Dean gritted out. "Pack your things. We're leaving." In tense silence Dean finished packing his bag. Sam stood still watching his brother angrily pull at the zipper on his bag. When he finally got it, he snatched the motel key off the table and threw open the door. "Do it!" He ordered and slammed the door heavily behind him.

Sam scratched his head and sighed. "Damit Dean." He murmured unplugging his laptop and putting it away. Mad at himself for pushing his brother, he quickly did as he was told and packed before Dean could drive off without him.

************************************

Jo took a deep breath and gently placed the old tin box back down in the ground. Inside she had placed one of her fake id's next to Dean's, along with the additional voodoo supplies. She quickly refilled the hole and stepped back to the middle of the crossroad.

She waited, expecting to see the demon almost instantly. Disappointment nagged away at her stomach, making her twist around in a circle several times. "Come on, come on." She muttered under her breath.

"You rang?" A syrupy voice called out behind her. Jo whirled around. Standing in front of her in a crimson silk evening dress stood a woman with long brunette hair. She smiled and Jo instantly recognised the red demonic eyes.

"You're the crossroads demon?" She asked nervously.

"In the flesh." She smiled smugly. "Well someone else's flesh for now." She stepped closer to Jo and looked at her critically. "Can I do something for you sugar?"

"You know why I'm here." Jo said trying to remain confident even as the demon circled her.

"Well I know you can't possibly be here to make a deal for little old Dean Winchester's soul because that would be a waste of my time." The demon frowned at Jo placing her hands on her hips.

"And If I am?"

The demon smiled sympathetically. "Sorry sugar, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that ship has long sailed."

"I've come to make a trade."

The demon laughed. "You?" She laughed again. Jo kept her shoulders straight and her head high and ignored the demon's taunts. "No deal." The demon responded starting to walk away.

"I didn't say it was my soul I was offering."

The demon froze. She turned around to stare at Jo curiously. "I'm listening."

"I've come to trade a hundred souls."

*******************************

"Damit!" Dean shouted throwing his cell phone at the Impala floor. Sam's legs barely missed the flying object and he frowned at his brother. "Her phone is switched off."

"I told you already that I tried calling her."

"Well excuse me if I don't believe everything that comes out of your mouth right now Sam." Dean accused angrily. "What with all that going behind my back crap you've been pulling."

Sam sighed frustrated. "As I've already told you a million times – I didn't go behind your back. I've never discussed the deal with Jo. Ever. Yes, I've been emailing her," Sam told him holding his hands up when Dean tried to interrupt. "To tell her how we've been going. Since that bad hunt she's been stuck at Bobby's, so I've been trying to cheer her up, make her feel like we haven't forgotten her."

"So now I'm expected to ring her everyday while I'm in the middle of an extremely important hunt so she doesn't feel sad?" Dean hissed furiously. He over took a long truck and angrily swerved back in his lane.

"How about calling her once?" Sam retorted looking annoyed. "You never called her after Duluth and a lot has changed since then."

"Nothing has changed." Dean denied aggravated.

"You're such a bad liar, Dean."

"Sam. Stop it."

"Stop what?" Sam asked innocently. "Stop caring about you? Stop trying to help you?"

"Stop trying to push me onto Jo."

"If I recall, you where the one doing all the pushing on Jo in your dream." Sam reminded him with a smug grin.

"It was just a dream." Dean argued sending his brother a reproachful look. "I've had all kinds of dreams about Kelly Clarkson as well. You don't see me running after her do you?"

"Keep telling yourself that, Dean. You might actually believe it one day."

"Shut up." Dean shouted and shoved his brother roughly with one hand. Sam was saved from having to respond when his phone rang.

"Yeah Ellen, we're on our way. Yup… Ok… call you soon."

"What did Ellen say?" Dean quizzed when Sam hung up his cell phone.

"She knows Jo is up to something and wanted us to check it out."

"If that demon doesn't kill her I swear I will." Dean promised and over took another vehicle.

*******************************

"So we have a deal?" Jo asked trying not to sound too hopeful.

The demon was eyeing her thoughtfully and was considering the proposal. "I'm curious sugar." The demon inquired watching Jo carefully. "What's so special about Dean that you're willing to make such a trade? It's not like giving him his life back is going to make him fall in love with you."

Jo was startled by the brutal honesty in the question. Staring at the floor she could only answer honestly. "It doesn't matter what I want. All that matters is that he'll live."

"Until someone else decides to bump him off." The demon suggested with a smile. Jo shrugged and the demon accepted her answer. "Well I guess Dean really is a cat with nine lives."

"So you'll do it?"

The demon nodded. "Who am I to walk away from such a good bargain?" The demon told her looking pleased. "Though I must warn you, there are going to be some pretty pissed off demon's out there who were looking forward to Dean's first day in hell."

"Better luck next time." Jo supplied dryly.

The demon grinned. "I like you. You're funny and you know how to haggle properly." The demon beckoned her closer. "If you're ever on the lookout for a job as a crossroad demon, give me a call."

"Er, thanks. I'll put it on my to do list."

The demon clapped her hands. "Alright Kido. Let's seal the deal." Jo stepped forward until she was face to face with the demon. In the distance she heard thunder rumble angrily towards them. Jo closed her eyes as the demon tilted her head and pressed her lips to Jo's.

Jo cringed awkwardly against the cold lips until the demon's hands latched on to her arms. Jo tried to pull her head back, but her lips where fused to the demons. Her eyes flew open and she saw the red eyes glowing back at her amused.

Far off in the distance Jo heard shouting. However the sound was tuned out because of the searing pain tearing through her body. She howled into the demon's mouth but the demon held her steady. Jo felt like she was being crushed from the inside. Then, just when she thought she couldn't stand it any more, the demon suddenly let go and she fell limply to the floor.

********************************

"We're too late!" Dean cursed violently as he shoved the car into park beside Bobby's truck. He saw Jo stepping up to the crossroad demon and he felt his nightmares coming true. Shouting, he scrambled from the car and ran towards her, screaming at them to stop.

Sam was hot on his heels as he sprinted down the dirt road. The demon looked at him over Jo's shoulder and smiled wickedly. Dean continued to shout even as Jo's mouth pressed against the demon. He watched in horror as the demon took her by the arms and shook her body.

It was Sam that reached Jo first and caught Jo just as she was released by the demon. Dean tackled the demon. Within seconds he had the upper hand and had her pinned to the ground by her throat. "What did you do to her?" He shouted, furiously pushing down on the demon's neck.

"Made.. a deal." The demon gasped out, her red eyes laughing at him.

"Dean." He looked over and saw Jo resting against Sam's chest. "Don't." She told him looking like she was going to collapse again.

"What ever deal you made undo it! She had no right to make any deal on my behalf." Dean threatened pushing down harder on the demon's throat. The demon's eyes narrowed. Before Dean could react he went flying backwards. The demon sat up angrily and tugged at her dress. She climbed to her feet.

"Be seeing you Dean." The demon told him and with a clap of thunder she disappeared.

Dean stood up and swore. Shaking with rage he stormed towards Jo. She was just getting to her feet when he grabbed her by the arms. She hissed at the contact, her arms bruised from where the demon had grabbed her. "What did you do?" He spat angrily shaking her slightly.

"Dean, stop." Sam warned trying to grab his brother.

Dean shook him off and pulled her closer to him. "What did you do?"

"I got you off the hook." Jo said in a quiet voice. "There's no deadline now. You're free."

"What?" Dean looked like he wanted to slap her. He chose to glare at her instead. "What did you trade?"

Sam was looking at Jo, interested in what it had taken to convince the demon. "Please let me go, Dean." Jo asked him trying to wriggle out of his grip. The expression on his face scared her and suddenly she regretted telling Sam the news.

"Not until you answer me!"

"My curse." She mumbled not looking him in the eye. "I swapped my ability to heal."

"You stupid girl! You could have been killed!" Dean hissed throwing her arm away in disgust. He opened his mouth to say something to her but stopped. He threw his hands up in the air. "I can't do this." He muttered. "Sam! Lets go." He turned on his heels and walked away.

"Dean-" Sam called out looking shaken.

"We're leaving." Dean told him, still not turning around.

Jo bit her lip trying not to let the tears that had formed in her throat escape. She didn't dare look at Sam. Instead she looked at the ground and tried to hold it together. Hurt bubbled in her throat and she found it hard to breath, but she refused to let Dean see her cry.

"I'm not leaving." Sam called after Dean.

Dean turned on his heel, the expression on his face unreadable. "Fine." He spat. "Stay here with a traitor."

Jo whirled around at his use of the word 'traitor'. "What?" She shouted looking devastated. "I saved you're life."

"No. You ruined it." He told her furiously.

"Dean-" Sam warned again, he couldn't believe the hurtful words spilling from his brothers mouth. He started at him incredulously. "You can't mean that."

"She had no right Sam! None. That demon could have slaughtered her in seconds for just summoning it." Dean reminded him. He finally turned to Jo and pointed an accusing finger at her. "You aren't my sister, you certainly aren't my girlfriend, so how dare you meddle where you don't belong? That was my soul you just played dice with. You had no right."

Jo's eyes fell to the ground and she nodded. Without a word she turned and started walking away from them. Sam looked at his brother ashamed. "Jo, wait." Sam called out turning to go after her.

"Sam, get in the car." Dean shouted after him.

Sam ignored his brother and chased after Jo. When he caught up to her there where tears streaming down her face. "Jo, he's just upset. Please, He didn't mean it."

"It's ok." She whispered, her lips trembling. She looked at him, her eyes filled with tears. "I'm just glad he's alive to say those things." She tried to smile but her lips just wobbled. "It's ok. I'm alright. Just go." She told him and crossed her arms against her chest tightly.

Sam was torn between staying and going with his brother. He knew very well that his brother would go off and do something stupid if he wasn't there to stop it. He touched her shoulder gently. "Thank you." He said softly. "He's just scared but he'll come round."

Jo shook her head, stray tears dripping off her cheeks. "It doesn't matter if he doesn't." She said softly. "He's alive and that's all there is to it."

The sound of the Impala's engine revving stopped Sam from saying anything more. Sam gave her a last squeeze on her shoulder before sprinting off to his brother. As he climbed in the impala he gave Dean a disgusted look. But Dean wasn't looking at him. Instead he reversed and swung the car around and sped off in the opposite direction.

.................

Thoughts anyone? Would love to hear them! :D


	15. Chapter 15

**Rating:** T

**Notes:** Well this is the second last chapter, thank you so much for the feedback I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I hope you like the rest of the story.

* * *

'**Change'**

6 Months Later….

"Okay class, that's it for today. Don't forget your assignments are due on Monday." Jo roused herself from her daydreams when the class erupted into noise. Shoving her books into her bag, she stood up and squeezed her way out of the lecture hall.

Switching on her phone she hurried down the hallway to the double doors. Smiling at a few of her classmates when they waved to her, she pushed open the doors and hurried down the stairs and onto the university lawn.

Her phone started to ring.

"Hello?" Jo answered, hurrying up the lawn.

"I like you're hair." Jo looked up surprised, absently tugging on her shoulder length cropped hair. She gazed around the university lawn. There where students sprawled everywhere. "Over here by the big oak tree."

Jo grinned when she saw her mom leaning against a tree waving at her. Jo hung up and ran over to greet her mom. "Mom, what are you doing here?" She asked greeting her mom with a warm hug.

"Can't a very proud mom come and visit her daughter after two months of not hearing from her?"

"Sorry." Jo said ducking her head embarrassed. "I've had a lot of exams on."

"Well that's why I came. I figured you would of caught up by now." Ellen told her and reached up to touch the cropped lengths. "You look so grown up."

"Mom." Jo complained embarrassed.

Ellen grinned delighted. "Oh I have a surprise for you." She said reaching into her back pocket of her jeans and pulling out a folded yellow envelope. "It's from Bobby. For your birthday tomorrow."

Jo grinned and took the envelope. Opening it excited she pulled out a piece of paper. Unfolding it she was careful not to drop the cheque inside. She smiled as she read the familiar scrawled writing.

**'**_**Jo, **_

_**Something to keep you out of trouble. You're doing great. **_

_**Happy Birthday, **_

_**Bobby'**_

Jo looked at the cheque and let out a gasp. "Mom, this is too much." She said, tears at the corners of her eyes. "He can't afford this."

"Shush." Ellen lectured pulling Jo towards her parked truck. "You know he thinks of you like a daughter. He loves spoiling you."

"But this is too much. The letter was all I needed." Jo complained but tucked the cheque securely into her jeans. "Though I am grateful. The landlord just upped the rent – again."

Ellen grinned. "Wait till you see what I got you." She opened the truck door and waved at her to climb in.

"Mom." Jo complained feeling blush rise to her cheeks. "I told you not to get me anything."

"And I ignored you as I always do." Ellen replied with a wink. "Trust me, you'll love it."

"Wait, you missed the turn off. My street is that way." Jo called out pointing to her street as it went passed.

"I know, I thought I might take you out for some dinner first." Ellen told her glancing at her with a smile. "And don't try telling me you're not hungry. You're much too skinny and as your mother it's my job to fatten you up."

"Thanks mom." Jo answered sarcastically while rolling her eyes.

"Okay, now I can't move I'm so full." Jo complained as the two women left the restaurant. She rubbed her aching belly and let out a deep sigh.

"But it was good, right?" Ellen asked climbing into the car.

"It was wonderful – that was the problem. It was too good to stop." Jo laughed and slumped against the car seat. "Thanks Mom."

"My pleasure." Ellen told her backing out of their car space. "It's good to see you smile again, you sounded a bit down on the phone last time we talked."

"Yeah."

"Is everything ok, Jo?" Ellen asked sounding concerned. She reached for her daughters knee and squeezed it tightly.

Jo forced a smile. "I'm alright. It was a little tough getting back into the swing of school at first." Jo admitted gazing sleepily out the window at the lights flashing passed them on the highway. It was after nine and most of the stores they where passing where closed.

"You haven't heard from Dean yet?"

Jo was grateful the truck was dark so that her mom couldn't see her blush. "No." She said quietly.

"Give him time, honey." Ellen said glancing at her. "If he's as similar to his father, he'll come round."

Jo shrugged. "It doesn't matter, I'm over it anyway."

Ellen smirked. "Sure you are, sweetie, sure."

"Mom." Jo exclaimed laughing. Ellen glanced at her grinning. "MOM!" Jo shouted suddenly. She shut her eyes out of instinct as she saw the SUV run a red light and speed towards them.

A second later she felt the impact. Her head made contact with the side window, but her seatbelt kept her from flying forward. She distinctly heard her mom scream but the sound was cut short as the truck rolled over.

Glass stung her face like small bees. Jo clung on tightly to the seat as the truck remained on it's roof. She heard the sound of tires screeching and could smell the burning rubber.

Then nothing.

**********************

"Where have you been?" Sam asked when Dean entered the motel room. He shut the lid on his laptop and watched his brother toss his leather jacket on the bed.

"Out."

Sam narrowed his eyes. "You've been to see her again haven't you?" Sam accused suspiciously. "Did you actually speak to Jo this time?"

"No." Dean admitted heading to the bathroom. Sam got up and followed him. Dean pulled his t-shirt off and reached for a towel.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Dean asked looking annoyed.

"Is she alright?"

"She seemed fine to me." Dean answered filling the basin with warm water. "I went to check her apartment to see if the protection spells we put there where still in place, but Ellen was there."

"What did Ellen say?" Sam asked leaning against the door while his brother splashed water on his face and pulled out the shaving cream.

"Nothing. I left when I saw her leaving Jo's apartment."

"Why didn't you just go and talk to Ellen?" Sam asked looking surprised. Dean shrugged and started applying the shaving cream. "So?" Sam interrogated, changing the subject. "Are you going to go back tomorrow to see Jo?"

"Why should I?" Dean asked rinsing his razor.

Sam raised his eyebrows. "Ah, because it'll be Jo's birthday tomorrow."

"You really think she wants to see me on her birthday?" Dean asked looking at his brother. "I'm sure it'll go over real well, dude."

"Dean." Sam complained. He threw his hands up in the air looking skyward and left his brother to finish shaving. "Sometimes I just wanna.." He murmured slumping back in his chair in front of his computer.

Later that night, while arguing over who was going to go out and get dinner Sam's cell phone started buzzing. "Dude!" Dean shouted from his bed. "Your phone's ringing."

Sam hollered from behind the closed bathroom door. "Can you get it?"

"I have to do everything." Dean complained reaching over to the nightstand and picking up the phone. "Samantha's phone." He answered. He grinned when he identified the caller. "Sorry Bobby. I was just mucking around. I… What?" Dean jumped to his feet. "When?"

Sam emerged from the bathroom. "What?" He mouthed seeing the colour drain from his brother's face.

"What hospital are they at?... Yeah I know where it is…. We'll be right there." Dean hung up the phone and tossed it at Sam. Grabbing his boots he tossed Sam's jacket at him. "There was a car accident. Jo and Ellen have been rushed to hospital."

"Oh my God. When?" Sam asked shrugging on his jacket and following Dean as he scooped up the Impala keys.

"Half an hour ago."

"How bad is it?" Sam asked quietly when Dean unlocked the car and they climbed in.

"Bad enough that Bobby could barely get a word out."

"Shit." Sam said holding on tight as Dean jerked the wheel and speed out of the car park. He tried not to think of the worst as they speed to the hospital, but part of him knew it wasn't going to be ok.

................................


	16. Chapter 16

**Rating:** T

**Notes:** This is the last chapter, I hope everyone enjoys the final part and I love your comments!

* * *

'**A Key to the Future'**

The first thing Jo thought of as she came too was how bright it was. She blinked and moved her head away from the light source. As she did so her vision swam. She closed her eyes again and waited till the spinning stopped.

Slowly, she blinked and tried to focus. She was startled to see a heart monitor. She squinted and went to rub her eye when something heavy clunked against her head. She hissed against the pain and held her heavy arm in front of her. As soon as she saw the white plaster cast her memory came flooding back.

The truck.

Jo turned her head. "Dean?" She whispered when she saw the familiar figure sitting beside her bed fast asleep. At the sound of his name his eyes flew open. He looked up at her.

"Hey." He said softly rubbing his eyes. "You're awake."

"The truck." She answered trying to sit up. "There was an accident. Another car. My mom…"She paused looking around the hospital room. "Where's my mom?"

"Hey, Hey." Dean tried to sooth her, placing a firm hand on her shoulder and tried to push her back down. "It's okay. You're both in hospital. You're safe."

"But my mom?" Jo repeated. "The car hit her side. I heard her scream." She struggled against him until she saw Bobby enter the room with two cups of coffee. "Bobby." She cried.

Bobby dumped the coffees on a table and hurried over to her other side. "Hey, you're awake." He said dropping a kiss on her forehead. "Are you in any pain?"

Jo shook her head, staring at Bobby's red puffy eyes. His baseball cap was no where to be seen. "My mom, Bobby. Is my mom ok?"

"I'll go let the doctor know you're awake." Dean excused himself and practically ran from the room.

"I want to see my mom." Jo insisted trying to sit up again. Her back began to spasm with pain but she gritted her teeth against it.

"Just relax Jo, you've been in a pretty big accident." Bobby informed her trying to gently keep her from getting out of bed. He needn't have bothered. As soon as she tried to roll onto her side the pain stopped her short. Her heart began to beat painfully against her chest and she found it hard to breathe. "Dean!" She vaguely heard Bobby shout. Jo fought to keep her eyes open. "Get a doctor in here!"

Jo saw a blur of white before she succumbed into unconsciousness again.

It was well into the next day before Jo opened her eyes again. This time she saw it was Bobby asleep beside her and Dean was perched at the end of her bed watching TV.

"Hey." She said sleepily.

He looked over at her and smiled. "Happy Birthday." He said gently switching the TV off. "How are you feeling?"

"Stiff." She admitted moving slightly. She was grateful to discover her back wasn't shooting with pain anymore.

"That'll be the drugs." He told her moving around to face her completely. "You should have seen the amount they doped you with. You kept waking up during the night moaning, so the doctor came in and upped your pain medication."

"How's my mom doing?" Jo asked glancing at Bobby who was currently drooling.

"The doctor said you can go see her when he checks you out." Dean motioned to the door. "Want me to go fetch him?"

Jo nodded and Dean jumped off her bed and went to find the doctor. Jo watched Bobby for a few moments while waiting for the doctor. Eventually a short man with a receding hairline and a white lab jacket entered with a smile. "I see you're awake now Miss Harvelle. That's good news." The doctor greeted.

"I was hoping to go see my mom." Jo asked hopefully.

The doctor nodded and stepped up beside her. "Now I want you to open your eyes up wide for me. That's it." The doctor pulled his pen light out and switched it on. He lent forward and examined her eyes. Jo squinted against the brightness. The doctor nodded. "Okay, good." He looked at her cast arm. "How's the pain?"

"Is my mom ok?" Jo responded.

"You're mom is in a medically induced coma right now." The doctor told her gently. "She obtained a lot of injuries in the accident and after a long surgery they only released…" The rest of the sentence didn't register with Jo. Her brain was still stuck on the words 'Coma' and 'Injuries'.

"Thanks, Doc." Jo looked up at Dean's voice. She looked back at the doctor and he smiled sympathetically at her.

"Why don't you just get some rest and we'll talk more later ok?"

"I want to see her." Jo said quietly.

"How about you just rest and I'll send a nurse in when you're clear to see her?" He left before she had a chance to respond. At that moment Sam appeared with a bunch of daises and an arm load of coffee's. He nudged Bobby awake and handed the flowers to Jo awkwardly. "Um.. happy birthday."

It wasn't until the next day, when Jo was able to walk around on her own and threaten nurses, that they let her see her mom. Bobby and Sam left to fetch Jo some new clothes from her apartment, leaving Dean to take Jo to Ellen's room.

For a long time Jo just sat at the end of Ellen's bed just staring. It was completely surreal for Jo to be looking at her mom in such a delicate state. With the help of a breathing ventilator, Jo was almost lulled to sleep by the rhythmic beating.

"The um… doctor said if you speak to coma patients they can hear you." Dean suggested awkwardly next to her. Jo nodded but her throat felt too thick to allow any words to come out. "Are you hungry or thirsty? I can get you something if you want?" Dean asked sounding so nervous that Jo couldn't help the small smile.

"Um, maybe a drink." She said understanding that he was feeling uncomfortable.

"Right. I'll go get one." He said and patted her shoulder before leaving. Jo watched him exhale once he was outside. Jo turned back to her mom.

"He's freaking out so bad, mom." Jo said touching her mom's foot gently. "He'd probably drive to Alaska for ice if I asked him too." She said with a forced smile. Jo paused, looking for some kind of a sign that her mother had heard her. Ellen remained still. Jo felt the tears return. "Please wake up Mom. Please. I promise I'll work hard and I'll call you everyday. Just please wake up."

The heart monitor continued to blip steadily. Jo wiped away the tears with the back of her uninjured hand. A knock sounded at the door. It was Sam. Embarrassed she wiped away any traces of tears and waved at him to come in.

"Hey." He greeted gently. "I got you some clothes." He said holding out a small bag to her. "And Bobby found this on your kitchen bench." He extended his hand to show her a small box wrapped in dark green paper with a silver bow. Jo took the present from him. "There was no card with it sorry." He apologised shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

Jo nodded and pulled off the bow. Slowly undoing the wrapping she pulled out a small black velvet box. As she opened the box a little piece of paper fluttered out. Jo put the box down and picked up the piece of paper.

**'**_**To my dearest Jo,**_

_**A key to your future. **_

_**Happy Birthday. **_

_**Love Always, **_

_**Mom'**_

Jo looked up at her mom. She could almost hear her mothers voice in her head as she re-read the note. Sam was peering over her shoulder trying to see what was in the box. Jo picked the box up again and pushed back the material to reveal an old fashioned black key. She picked up the key and analysed it.

"Huh." Sam said sounding disappointed. "Is it a metaphor?" He asked confused.

Jo smiled. "No." She said simply touching her mom's foot gently. "It's a key to an old jewellery box mom has. She never let me open it. She said, 'one day when you're old enough – I'll give you the key'. It killed me for years wondering what was inside."

"Cool." Sam said sounding curious.

"I got drinks." Dean announced entering the room. In his arms he held every kind of soda drink the hospital had, a bottle of water, a coffee and three kinds of juices. Jo rose her eyebrow at him as he set them all on the table. "I didn't know what you liked." He said motioning to the drinks.

Jo snorted and gave him a smile. "So you got all of them?"

"Except energy drinks." He told her but then his face fell. "Do you want them? I can go get them. I just thought it wouldn't be good for you after all that medication."

Jo couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled in her throat. "Dean." She said grinning. "This is fine." She told him and to assure him she picked up a bottle of orange juice.

"Can I have the coffee?" Sam asked looking hopeful.

"Go get your own." Dean said giving his brother a frown.

Jo shook her head and handed the coffee to Sam. To Dean she handed him the bottle of cola. Dean forced a smile. "Sorry."

Later that night, when the others had left for the motel to get some rest, Jo sat flicking through a magazine. She glanced beside her at her mom to check she was still unchanged and went back to the magazine.

"Oh mom, listen to this one 'Nine ways to keep your man from straying'." Jo read out loud flipping through the article. "You know I'm surprised that stringing him up and tying him to a bed isn't here. Oh wait… no.. that's a different kind of typing up." Jo told her with a grin. "I don't know why I read this crap but you just can't look away."

There was a knock at the door and Jo looked up. Dean was standing at the door. "Hey." He greeted.

"Hey. I thought you went with the others?" Jo said putting her magazine down.

Dean shook his head. "Didn't feel like sleeping." He admitted and hovered at the end of the bed. "Any change?" He asked looking down at Ellen. There was a sadness in his eyes that made Jo want to comfort him.

She shook her head. "No. None."

"I'm sorry, I should have just stayed at the motel."

"Why?" Jo asked confused. "I don't mind that you're here." She admitted.

"Really?" He asked unsure.

Jo nodded and looked at her mom. "Talking will keep me from my thoughts."

Dean moved to lean against the edge of the bed. "What kind of thoughts?"

Jo sighed and rubbed the back of her head, trying to keep her emotions at bay. "Regrets. What ifs? Etc." She told him honestly. She felt the sting of tears well in her eyes and fought hard against them. "What if we never went to dinner? What if I'd never come back to school? What if-"

"What if you never made that stupid deal?" Dean finished before he could stop himself. He looked down at his shoes angry with himself. Jo looked at him feeling a mixture of emotions.

"Please don't start on that." She pleaded upset with herself for starting the conversation. She didn't want to admit he was right. She didn't want Dean to know that all night she had been wondering if the moment she made the deal she had sealed her mothers fate. She didn't want to admit that after six months of not hearing a word from him, she was starting to wonder if she had just let him die she could of moved on.

"I'm sorry." He said still looking at the floor. "But I can see it written on your face." He hurried to explain. "I don't blame you Jo. But I warned you that something like this would happen. I told you not to make that deal."

"How can you say that?" Jo asked staring at him, a familiar tug of anger spooling in her stomach. "How can you be so heartless to come here and make me feel worse?"

"I'm not trying to hurt you Jo." Dean insisted finally looking up. He glanced over at Ellen. "I'm just-"

"Being a bastard." She finished. "I know. You're always being a bastard."

He didn't look at her. "Then why'd you make a deal for a bastard?"

Jo swore under her breath. "I really can't believe you are doing this right now, Dean." She said angrily. "Now after six months of disappearing. Six months earlier you could of talked to me about this, but you choose now?"

"Six months ago you still would have been in denial." He told her. He stepped away from the bed and faced the wall. "Six months ago you wouldn't have realised the sacrifice you made."

"I understood the sacrifice." She told him sharply.

"No you didn't." He insisted turning to face her. "Now you know what you gave away so foolishly."

"Why are you doing this?" She asked tears now springing free. She didn't bother wiping them away. "Why are you punishing me?"

"I'm not-" He paused frustrated and rubbed a tired hand over his face. "I'm just… I've lived the last six months with the guilt that I am living while others die. Three times I should have died Jo, and three times someone has stepped in and died in my place. Do you have any idea how hard that is?"

"Maybe it's because you are meant to live." She said. "Things happen for a reason."

"You don't believe that bullshit, I know you don't." He challenged her.

"How do you know anything about me, Dean?" She argued stepping towards him. "I haven't heard a single word from you. Neither of us has seen each other since that day."

"You haven't seen me." He said quietly.

"What?" She asked confused.

"I've seen you, but you haven't seen me."

"What?" She repeated.

Dean ducked his head embarrassed and walked over to the window on the other side of the room. He sighed and turned around. "I've been dropping in occasionally to check on you."

"You what?" Jo exclaimed.

"I just wanted to make sure you where ok. I didn't want to interfere in you're life, so I stayed out of sight."

"You've been spying on me?" Jo said looking disgusted. "So you drove halfway across the country to pop your head in, make sure I still had arms and legs and then took off again?"

"Pretty much." He admitted quietly.

"And you didn't think that was unfair because?"

"I told you." He said walking towards her. "You had a brand new life and I didn't want to come in a ruin it."

"I was miserable." Jo exclaimed. "If you had of looked closer you would of seen that I was struggling to keep a brave face." She sighed and looked down at her necklace. She had already strung the key onto the silver chain Dean had given her and it was resting comfortably against the protection charm. She touched it lightly and felt the strength to admit how she felt. "All I wanted was some kind of sign from you that you where ok."

"Sam sent you emails." Dean reminded her gently.

"But they where from Sam." She said still gazing at the charm. "I needed a message from you." She felt more tears slip down her face. "I needed to know that you had forgiven me for being in love with you."

"What?" She heard him gasp. She looked up at him and saw a million emotions flutter across his face. He reached up and gently wiped away her tears. "Jo." He started slowly. His eyes where searching hers franticly, as if trying to figure out if she was in any way lying to him. She continued to look him straight in the eye until he bent his head and gently pressed a kiss to her lips.

At first she was too shocked to respond, but as his hands pulled her closer she began to respond. She closed her eyes as all the pent up tension spilled free and she kissed him passionately. Jo felt his hands tighten against her until eventually she had to pull free for oxygen. She gazed at him unsure and saw the vulnerability in his eyes. "Does that mean you forgive me?" She asked gently.

A smile broke across his features. "I…" He took a deep breath and whispered to her. "I think I love you too." Jo grinned and pulled him closer, the kiss more passionate this time. She threaded her fingers through his hair and felt giddy as his hands roamed her back. Jo felt the room buzz in her ears.

The buzzing began to grow louder until she was forced to pull away. She narrowed her eyes at him trying to determine the source of the noise until she finally looked away from him. Jo's eyes searched the room until her eyes fell upon her mother. A serene smile was frozen on Ellen's face. Jo felt Dean's grip tighten on her protectively. Jo's eyes flickered to the screen beside Ellen's bed.

The heart monitor had flat lined............


End file.
